Property Tales
"Family's very important to me, and my living situation shows just how much that's true. I'm very fortunate that I come from a family-oriented family. We believe in helping each other and being there for each other. Once that's established as the basic premise, working out details isn't very difficult."
When MLP was younger, he couldn't wait to leave home. At age 18, he left his mother's Washington Heights apartment and moved to a college dorm. Then, he lived in a series of sublets and short-term rentals.
In 1997, when he married, MLP and his wife bought a house in Hempstead, where they lived for three years-until their divorce in 2000.
Following the split, MLP sublet a one bedroom in Riverdale, taking over the lease and paying $850 per month in rent. It was a good deal. He liked the apartment and location, but when he was offered a new two-year lease for about $900 per month, he declined-and decided to move back home with mom instead.
"I'd been on my own for a long time, but moving home was an easy decision for economic and other reasons. I wanted to go back to school and finish my business degree, then go on to prepare to become an elementary school teacher, which is my long term goal," says MLP.
"Although I have a good day job as a banker, I couldn't cover tuition and rent, while supporting my former wife and our six-year-old daughter. My mother wanted to help me, but she couldn't afford to pay my tuition. So, she said I could live with her. I figure I'll be staying with her for the next couple of years."
MLP's mother, at age 68, is a retired factory worker and baby sitter. She's occupied her large Riverside Drive one-bedroom, rent-stabilized apartment for about 30 years.
With her son in residence, she pays the $550 monthly rent, and MLP, who sleeps on a fold-away in the living room, covers other household expenses-gas, electric and cable-and contributes to food costs.
"My share comes to about $200 to $300 a month. That's a lot less than renting my own place would cost," says MLP.
But, the arrangement is a good one for other reasons, too.
"I'm enjoying spending time with my mother. It's precious time," he says. "She's getting older and is in poor health. I feel it's important that I be there for her, too-to help her when she needs me."
MLP says the biggest issue in moving back home is privacy.
"My mother's a very private person-and so am I. I'm conscious of having to respect her and her space. I don't invite people over, except friends who've known her a long time," says MLP. "Actually, our routines complement each other. During the week, she mostly stays with my brother and sister in Connecticut. She comes home on weekends to go to church.
"I'm in the apartment weeknights, but often go away-or stay with friends-on weekends. It just happens to work out that way, so we do have privacy. But I'm always careful anyway, just in case she comes home unexpectedly during the week."
Although it's not his main purpose for living there, MLP's presence in the apartment firmly establishes his right-as next of kin-to eventually become the primary tenant.
"It's a great apartment-really huge, and with a great view. I grew up in it, and I have an attachment to the place. I hope to take it over eventually," says MLP. "I don't foresee any problem with doing that at some time in the future. The building managers and everyone else in the building knows me, and I've been accepted back without question. Of course, the building's been gentrified recently. Free market rent for my mother's apartment, one of the smaller units, is about $1,500 a month, but I'd hope to preserve the rent-stabilized status and rent. Meanwhile, when I'm finished with school, I'll rent or buy my own place. I'm thinking of finding an apartment on the West Side, Washington Heights or Riverdale as my next stop."