Y. David Scharf Interviewed for New York Times and NBC New York Regarding Tenant Holding Up $70 Million Condo Deal

Chair and Co-Managing Partner Y. David Scharf is speaking publicly on behalf of client Naftali Group regarding a tenant who refuses to move from a West 84th Street apartment building that was bought by Naftali for $70 million last June, delaying the development of luxury condominiums.

Scharf was quoted in an April 16, 2022 New York Times article – among the “most popular” articles of the week – entitled “How a Lone Tenant Is Holding Up a $70 Million Condo Deal.” In the article, Scharf explained that Ahmet Nejat Ozsu is the only tenant who has not agreed to move and “through counsel, has made it clear he’s holding out for a ransom of north of a million dollars.” Ozsu is a month-to-month tenant whose lease has expired; he has not paid rent, and has a history of being delinquent on rent.

For his part, Ozsu claims that the new landlord placed an industrial air filter and a security camera outside his door as bullying tactics. Scharf explained in the article that despite Ozsu’s allegations, there has been no harassment whatsoever; the air filter “is actually for his health and safety,” and the camera was installed because of “general security issues.”

Scharf also appeared on NBC New York’s 6 pm News on April 19, 2022, in a segment reported by Lynda Baquero, stating that Oszu “does not have a legal basis for remaining in the apartment” and that Naftali “has offered to relocate him for 24 months in a comparable building at a comparable rent,” but that Oszu has not even responded.

Click here to read The New York Times article.

Click here to watch the NBC New York segment.