Staff Reports
New York City Council Member Julie Won is facing a messy housing dispute that threatens to make her congressional bid even messier. Reports say the owner of a Skyline Tower condo in Long Island City filed eviction papers, the Won family moved out after being served, and the owner says he’ll seek roughly $25,000 in unpaid rent. A housing‑court hearing is scheduled for June 30 — which means this story is about to get a legal spotlight, not just campaign spin.
Eviction filed, back rent alleged — the basic facts
According to the owner, Justin Chae, he let Won and her husband move into a one‑bedroom unit in November 2024 with an agreement: one year rent‑free, then $5,000 a month. Chae says the family stopped paying after January and “ghosted” him, so he filed a petition in Queens housing court to recover roughly $25,000 in back rent. The building — Skyline Tower — is high‑end, and comparable units trade in the six‑figure to low‑seven‑figure range, so the headline numbers, to be frank, sound believable.
Claims and counterclaims: lease vs. forgery
Julie Won’s camp denies she signed any lease and accuses Chae of forging her name. She has called his actions “political extortion” and warned she may countersue. Chae says he has the lease and that reporters were shown the document. Those are sharply divergent stories, and the court hearing on June 30 will be where paper or testimony, not campaign rhetoric, decides who’s telling the truth.
Why voters should care about a condo fight
This isn’t just a personal quarrel over rent. Won is running for Congress while serving on the City Council, asking voters for trust and public office. Allegations that a candidate lived rent‑free in a luxury condominium — whether by deal, misunderstanding, or outright forgery — raise questions about judgment and transparency. Voters deserve plain answers: was there a signed lease, was it honored, and why did the business relationship with Chae break down?
What to watch next and a simple test of accountability
The key next step is the June 30 housing‑court hearing and the actual filing that Chae says he submitted. If the lease is legitimate, show it. If it’s not, explain why not and let the courts sort the forgery claim. Until then, skepticism is the healthy response. Political candidates who preach public responsibility should welcome the daylight — and voters should remember that property rights and plain honesty matter, even in glamorous parts of Queens.
