Photo: Independent Picture Service/UIG/Getty Images.Getting evicted is probably one of the worst things that can ever happen. Sure, we've all got gripes about tiny living spaces, inconsiderate neighbors, and shady landlords, but being forced out of your apartment really takes the cake in NYC nightmares. Now, throw in a descendant of the Ottoman empire, an Afghan princess, and an Upper East Side property, and you've got yourself some perfect fodder for The New York Times' real estate section.
Zeynep Osman, the aforementioned princess, has found herself in the midst of a bitter courtroom battle with Avi Dishi, a man who purchased the building she's lived in for more than two decades. Her husband, Ertugrul, was the last heir to the throne of the Ottoman empire. Upon fleeing Europe in the midst of a political upheaval, he moved into the uptown pad and stayed there until his death in 2009. Dishi is now vacating the suite on the grounds that the lease was under Osman and his first wife — not Zeynep. Her Highness is fighting back with the claim that the landlord cannot evict a dead person. This is the kind of legal quibble Judge Judy lives for.
From the Times' writeup, the apartment seems to be in pretty bad shape. The walk-up, situated on Lexington Avenue near East 74th Street, has racked up more than 200 violations from the Department of Housing and Development in the past three years. At one point, 12 dogs lived in the two bedroom home. Nonetheless, we're not surprised that Osman is still duking it out in order to stay; she pays only $390 a month for the rent-controlled flat. Head over the Times for the detailed saga, and try not to be depressed by how much you pay to live in that shoebox in Brooklyn. (The New York Times)