Boy you’ve gotta feel badly for Star Jones. Not only has she been dealing with some wicked maintenance issues in her apartment, but it’s forced her to rent some new digs at a whopping $17,861 a month – for “comparable living arrangements.” Apparently it’s costly to live such a tacky existence. Star is suing the building for $700,000, claiming she hasn’t been able to live in her apartment since plumbing (and thus mold) issues became unbearable in 2006.
Star Jones has lost a “view” again. In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, the celebrity lawyer and TV personality says leaks and mold have forced her out of her Upper East Side triplex penthouse – and now she’s suing her building for $700,000.
“As a result of said damage and environmental condition, it is unhealthy and dangerous to reside in the premises. As such, I have obtained comparable living arrangements at the costs of $17,861 a month,” Jones said in her suit against the condo board.
The suit says the board agreed to fix the water problems back in 2004, but never did. Conditions got so bad that Jones “has been denied the full use and occupancy of her home” since March 2006.
A friend of Jones said the mold is especially hazardous because Star suffers from asthma. A building representative could not be reached for comment. Architectural Digest called her penthouse “unapologetically glamorous” when the magazine featured it several years ago.
[From the New York Post]
Normally I wouldn’t be able to sympathize with Star because she’s… well Star Jones. Nor would it be easy to feel badly for anyone able to afford $17,861 a month in rent. But New York City landlords, management companies, and buildings (whichever your living situation falls under) are notorious for refusing to fix any problem, big or little. Everyone’s got a nightmare landlord story – in fact the only rare story is hearing about a good landlord. This is why I will never leave my apartment. It’s ugly and has nails in the floor that poke up at random, but my landlord lives below and makes us join his family on holidays.
As long as Star informed the building’s super about the issue, it sounds like this is all their responsibility. While you could argue that she’s not very intelligent in terms of her personal or professional decisions, she is legally savvy and knows her rights. The only thing I find surprising is that it took her so long to file the suit. I’m assuming she’s tried to negotiate and settle out of court, and hasn’t had any luck. I never thought I’d say this, but I hope Star wins.
Here’s Star Jones at Gabrielle’s Gala Benefitting Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research at Cipriani Wall Street on Wednesday. Images thanks to WENN.
I hate this women. She is an ugly, rude and disgusting human being. She is a liar and has the most hideous taste. No one should feel sorry for her, Spending $17,861 a month on rent is insane! in this time were people are stuggling to put food on the table, this “pig” wants people to feel bad for her. Because she cant go home to her ugly apartment. What about were she is staying now, how will the owner’s get the smell of queef out of the apartment!
I do feel bad for her (sort of). NYC apartments aren’t cheap and, believe it or not, that $17k she’s spending does not mean the place is a palace. But before folks tell me I’m crazy, let me clarify…I feel bad because of the situation she’s in (out of her home, the mold, etc.) not because she has to spend the money – that’s her problem.
Whoa Elle, dont hold back girl! I am no fan of her but “hate” is quite harsh for someone you never met.
I’m not a SJ fan but I can sympathise with her housing problem but only that she’s out of her home. If she’s paying $17K for another one, she better win this suit or get a job cos she don’t live cheap.
Gotta be honest – she looks pretty good in that dress.
Please don’t confuse the first poster with me! I don’t hate any body, but I do strongly dislike Star Jones. I think that she is the stereotypical black woman and it doesn’t really help us move past that every time she opens her mouth. However, I do agree that her landlord should have done something several years ago rather than waiting until she moved out and sought comparable living arrangements. On a slight side note my ultimate goal in life is to be a lawyer and I only hope that I get half of the opportunities that Star has received.
Her armpit scares me. That is all.
Make no mistake, RAN, a $17,861K-a-month ($214,212 a year) apartment in NYC IS a palace. Killer Manhattan apartments start at $10,000/month, she’s living in LaLaLand. She’s within her rights to seek similar lodgings, but let’s not pretend she downgraded in any way. And she wouldn’t have a landlord, she would own the apartment with the issues.
For the $535.5K she’s spent since March of 2006, she could have bought the place she’s renting using her other place as collateral and put the maintenance for the mold home in escrow. Or she could have just called a plumber in herself and sued the building for reimbursement. That would’ve been a lot cheaper and quicker.
It’s been since 2004 that they promised to fix her plumbing and more than two years since she moved out. The statute of limitations has likely expired (although it may be five years). It obviously is not affecting other residents. The hi-end buildings make an effort to correct issues they’re responsible for (depending on if it’s a co-op or a condo).
I think she’s just a whiner. That’s why she managed to stay on The View as long as she did.
this woman just seems like a pig. consume consume consume-food, commodities, freebies, attention, husbands, people, resources, money, just selfish all consuming porker.
Jones looks nice in these photos, subtle makeup the dress isn’t very flattering but oh well. How she can afford that rent is beyond me. I would be all over a book about her time on the View though I’m sure she’s signed something that prevents said book being published.
I heard that there is a under the table gratuity you need to pay when you want to join some apartment complexes in mumbai. How does it operate? what is the amount? any way to aviod it?
That must be one heck of a luxury apartment she’s renting. I could get 10 homes for that price – geesh!
star only talk about her surgery after a big scar was photographed on her chest, but if she didnt get the surgery she could have died, cause she was extremely big, I wonder how she manage to breath or lie down.