Housing Rights Initiative (HRI), a housing watchdog group, uncovered that landlords Joseph Brunner and Abe Mandel (among the largest landlords in Brooklyn), along with David Lubinitsky, and Heatherwood have been abusing the 421-a tax benefit program. As of today, the landlords, collectively, have received over $20 million in 421-a tax credits across 427 units in three buildings, and illegally overcharged thousands of former and current tenants an estimated $10 million in rent. The buildings in this suit are 1875 Atlantic Avenue with 118 units, 544 Union Avenue with 95 units, and 12-15 Broadway with 214 units. HRI announces these class action lawsuits, which were filed by the law firm Newman Ferrara, LLP, with support from the Housing Justice for All Coalition, State Senators Jabari Brisport, Michael Gianaris, Brian Kavanagh, and Julia Salazar, Assemblymembers Emily Gallagher, Zohran Mamdani, and Linda B. Rosenthal, and Council Members Costa Constantinides and Stephen Levin.