ELY ZAKEN The Condo Controller Edit page

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July 14, 2024  I'm appalled and disgusted to tell everyone who reads this that the same individual who previously vandalized our community by placing rose bush thorns around the area where the  kittens of Estates ll & the Hamlet Estates congregate is now taking it a step further by littering the area with his dog's waste. This area is far from the curb, where no one walks their dog, which means this resident picks up the dog waste and places it around our community. It's absolutely unacceptable and disgusting behavior. Not only is it a health hazard, but it's also a clear display of malice and disdain for our community. I'm not sure what kind of person can find joy in causing harm and chaos among his neighbors, but it's clear that this individual has no regard for the well-being of others. Shame on you, we all know who you are!

Ely Zaken The Condo Controller 
aka  The Kitty Killer

The ultimate power trip

Profile: Ely Zaken has an insatiable appetite for control and a complete lack of self-awareness. This resident somehow manages to convince the board to grant him an unprecedented level of influence over every project, no matter the scope or complexity.

The Board's Enabling: The board's astonishing willingness to defer to Ely Zaken’s whims has led to a trail of chaos and destruction. Zaken’s motivation is to help himself to condo resources and exert his dominance over the community.  

Background: Zaken has a history of  inserting himself into every aspect of condo life, from overseeing renovations to "advising" on maintenance decisions. Despite having no discernible expertise or qualifications, Zaken has become the de facto go-to guy for all things condo-related.  Zaken’s obsessive need to control every aspect of our condo has become a significant burden and detriment to Estates ll. Zaken believes that others lack his expertise. However, Zaken has no expertise and he has no license or degree to back up his self declared skill in everything related to the Condo. 

Residency Status: Condo resident (just like the rest of us). It’s not Ely Zaken’s job to manage every aspect of our condo. Why would any one want to?  You don’t hear about residents working at the other high end communities because it is a unprofessional way to manage a property; it would be frowned upon and thought of as a low class way to get things done. Ely Zaken is not a hero. The residents and Estates ll employees would prefer Zaken find other ways to spend his time. Over the years, much to the residents chagrin, Zaken has been seen up on the roofs, on ladders changing street lights, installing over head garage lights and working on the security gate. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There's all the inside work residents can't see, like installing the cameras in the clubhouse & improperly installing the thermostat in the clubhouse, are just two example of inside work.  Much of Zaken’s so called work eventually has to be fixed by a professional.  Zaken is not an insured employee of Estates ll, so any accident would leave the Condo open to a lawsuit and loss of insurance.

Financially driven: Ely Zaken  constantly tells residents the condo can’t afford this and can’t afford that; while the board keeps telling residents “ Zaken works to save the condo money”, even while the condo’s maintenance keeps going up.  It’s a farce. Zaken has taken it upon himself to spend our money on projects that are not only unnecessary but also unappealing. Zaken’s obsession with spending other peoples money has led to an unnecessary expenditure of condo funds. The extra garbage room doors were purchased at a very expensive price of $1900 per door. The Residents Club estimates Zaken over paid by 300%.  All one has to do is look at the garbage room doors and know they do not cost $1900. Why would Zaken do that?  Zaken then purchased the ugly shipping storage container to store the over priced garbage room doors. That's a lot of money to store -what should be- very cheap doors, that did not have to be purchased. Zaken also  purchased a  mulch machine. These are just a few examples of Zaken's questionable spending habits. Where is the mulch machine, by the way? No one has seen Zaken making mulch, and yet he saw fit to spend our money on this extravagant project.
 

Credit Card Frenzy: Ely has somehow managed to obtain a condo credit card, which he uses to fund his various projects and indulgences. The board seems oblivious to the fact that this credit card is not a legitimate financial instrument.

Authoritarian: Ely Zaken has a tendency to treat condo employees and vendors like children, offering condescending unsolicited advice and trying to micro manage their work. He holds himself above all the residents and workers. He also thinks he has the right to disrespect residents while he walks around the neighborhood telling his neighbors what they may or may not do to their properties, while he openly disregards the rules and bylaws where his property is concerned. 

Control freak: Ely Zaken will find ways to insert himself into every aspect of condo operations because Zaken will not be told no, ever. This is why the new front gate has a lock on the controls. It’s the only way to keep Zaken’s hands off of something he wants to have control over. Zaken needs to be in control of every situation, big or small and he becomes angry when others try to make decisions or take charge without his input. Residents have a saying: “It’s Ely’s condo, we just live in it.”

Dictatorial decision-making: Ely Zaken often makes decisions without consulting others, citing his expertise as justification. Zaken bullies people into submission. This self imposed free rein has caused lawsuits.  The gate company refused to service our security gate because Zaken worked on the controls.

Ely Zaken hired a brick pointer to complete a job but subsequently refused to compensate him for his efforts. This led to a lawsuit that ultimately drained significant time and financial resources from Estates II, as Daniella and the attorney had to conduct a thorough walk-through of the property to assess the work completed by the brick pointer. In the end, the brick pointer did receive payment, but this situation serves as a clear illustration of the chaos and financial waste often precipitated by Zaken’s actions.


 

Defensiveness: When challenged or criticized Zaken first lies and then becomes defensive and abusive.  Zaken lies when there is no need to and has been caught lying to the community many times. Zaken is the first and last resident to break the rule of NO DOGS IN CLUBHOUSE.  Zaken told residents he was so busy running the condo he did not have time to bring his dog home from the AM walk. He refused the request of a resident with highly allergic children to keep his dog out of the clubhouse. Zaken only stopped when the entire community found out and caused an uproar. Zaken lies about how long he has been on the board; Zaken lies about having his dog off leash and Zaken lies about having a valid license. see letter from Dept. of State.

The two faces of Ely Zaken: It's essential that we recognize the true nature of Zaken’s actions. When a new resident moves in, Ely makes it a point to introduce himself and go out of his way to "help" them with various condo issues. His goal is to get residents to believe that he is the glue that holds our community together. Ely's true motives are far from altruistic. It is all part of a larger plan to build a sense of loyalty and gratitude among the residents to convince everyone that he is indispensable.  Only the board thinks Ely is indispensable. In reality, Ely's "help" is often unnecessary and even counterproductive.  Ely's "hard work" and "dedication" are merely a facade to justify his excessive spending and meddling in our affairs.The intended result of his clever manipulation, is to get the residents to believe that Ely is the only one who truly understands what's best for our community, when nothing can be further from the truth. Residents believe Estates ll was better before Zaken moved in and took control.

                          One resident told the Residents Club: "We did just fine 
                          before anyone ever heard of Ely Zaken."

When the mask slips: Most residents these days see through Ely's façade.  They understand he is using his position to further his own interests and they are taken aback by his constant presence and dictatorial attitude. Ely without his mask is aggressive with residents who question his authority and often Zaken ends up cursing at residents when he can’t have his way. Let's recognize the real Ely Zaken– the one who only cares about his own interests and is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain his grip on our community.

Indiscretions: Ely Zaken’s involvement in every project has raised eyebrows among residents, who whisper about his motives. It's become an open secret that over the years contractors have called Estates ll to complain about the constant demands made on them by Zaken. This practice has led to a staggering number of shoddy workmanship and inflated costs, as contractors feel compelled to comply with Ely Zaken’s demands.  

* Zaken has recently run electrical wires underground, into his condo, when he installed underground lighting on the common ground in front of his condo, in violation of Estates ll bylaws and Nassau County ordinance, and with no permit.  After speaking with a licensed electrician, it is believed Zaken tapped into the street light in front of his condo to get the electricity for his fancy lighting, which means the residents are paying for Zaken's electric bills.  June 1, 2024

The Offering Plan for Estates ll clearly states: NO CURB SIDE PARKING. Estates ll was designed with cluster spots in the cul-de-sacs, for extra parking. Ely decided he wanted to park in front of his condo, instead of the designated cluster spots located in the center of the cul-de-sac, as depicted in the offering plan. Zaken also painted lines in the street to give the illusion these parking spots are legal. THEY ARE NOT. Making matters even worse, Zaken gets no pushback from the board, who is well aware these parking spots are illegal. 

The Pattern: Ely Zaken’s pattern of behavior when on the board is clear: Zaken takes control of the condo, disregards the rules and bylaws and overextends his term. When residents start to notice and begin to call Zaken out on his indiscretions: first he denies breaking the rules and bylaws, and when the denials don’t work  Zaken quits the board - only to repeat the same pattern again. 

Recent Projects: Ely’s exploits include but are not limited to: The pool renovation, The wheel chair ramp, the first clubhouse project, the second clubhouse project, New Security Guard booth, Garbage/Utility room doors. address lights, security gate, new garage doors purchase and over saw the improper installation (which has lead to the garage doors breaking), analyzes residents drainage problems & interior leaks(incorrectly), gutters & leaders and decided Estates ll needed a shipping container.  Zaken profited when he charged the condo for putting up security cameras at the gate house and club house.

True story:  The day new residents purchased their condo they discovered a leak in the basement, so they called management. The maintenance men showed up with resident Ely Zaken, who immediately began misdiagnosing the cause of the leak. Zaken said the leak was due to improper installation of back pavers. The homeowner knew Zaken was misdiagnosing the leak, because the new homeowner is a licensed contractor.  The new homeowners thought Zaken was a condo employee and were shocked to learn Zaken was a resident. Engineers report contradicted Zaken's statement.

Club house : Ely insisted on overseeing the project himself, despite having a licensed contractor and designers running the project.

Shipping Container Storage: Ely purchased an ugly shipping container with his condo credit card (which, inexplicably, exists) The shipping container was purchased to house the unnecessary purchase of spare garbage/utiltiy room doors. Ely Zaken loves spending Condo funds so much he consistently invents reasons to spend resident's money.  Estates ll does not need an expensive ugly shipping container to house the unnecessary purchase of spare garbage room doors.  Ely Zaken spent $1900 on the garbage room doors that should cost no more than $300 per set. 

Conclusion: Ely Zaken is a menace to Estates ll, driven by an insatiable ego and a desire for financial gain. His reckless meddling has led to a trail of destruction. The board would do well to take a step back and reevaluate their relationship with this self-proclaimed "expert" before it's too late. Ask the resident who paid Zaken to install an outside light, only to be fined by the village. Then had to pay AGAIN for a licensed electrician to fix Zaken's "work" after paying a fine.

8:00AM August 10, 2024: an accounting of what just happened by Ken Deutsch

Ken Deutsch was standing in front of his home with his dog, which is a considerable distance from where Ely Zaken lives, when Zaken began shouting in the street, in front of another resident (witness). 

Zaken called out, "Keep writing about me!" 

Deutsch replied, "You’ve hurt my wife with those thorns you put out." 

Zaken shot back, "I'll keep doing it as long as she keeps feeding the cats." 

Deutsch insisted, "You hurt my wife!" 

Ely Zaken replied, "I’ll do whatever I want!"
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          "You piece of shit. Now you are my enemy." 
           Quote by Ely Zaken, board member, to a resident.
           In front of another resident.
          
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Complete disregard for the bylaws: Zaken creates illegal parking spots for himself. The driveway isn't good enough for Zaken. Residents are supposed to use their garage and driveways.  White lines are not needed to park in the street during the day.

No overnight curbside parking allowed. 


Picture taken Feb. 10, 2024, of board member Ely Zaken's dog off leash & unsupervised in violation of the bylaws and Village of North Hills Code.

Zaken's dog off leash, which he would deny if not for this recent picture. The trifecta of violations: Estates ll bylaws, Village of North Hills and Town of North Hempstead ordinances.
If any information in a news article is incorrect please email the Residents Club and correction will be noted. 
 

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Is it a coincidence that the only condo that has this special lighting is Ely Zaken's condo?

Ely Zaken's home with illegal lighting on common ground and on the trellis. It is believed Zaken tapped into the condo's street lights to power on these lights. Are the lights in the ground Estates ll lights or a private lights? Don't bother asking anyone on the board, they will either ignore you or lie to you. Why can't the entire neighborhood have pretty under ground lights in the grass. 

119 Eagles Cresent

Illegally Installed Underground Lighting On Common Property

• Did Not Obtain Permission from Estates II Board
• Believed to be Wired to Estates II Street Lights
• Violation of Bylaws
• Disregard for rules and regulations
• Not installed with by a licensed electrician
• May be in violation of Village and State Codes

       Current Condition 2024 -                                            Original Photo from time of purchase    
                                                                                         Multiple Listing Photo when the home was
                                                                                         purchased  in 2010 by Mr. Zaken

                     
 Any claim of purchasing the home with the lights preexisting would be untruthful


 

Ely Zaken Illegally Removed Parking Spots from the Bylaws and Offering Plan 

And created new unauthorized, illegal parking spots

• While in charge of the Building & Grounds Committee of the Estates II Board, Mr. Zaken erased original parking spots on his block-Eagles Crescent, a circular cul-de-sac.
• Mr. Zaken created new spots without a by-law change. 
• The new spots Mr. Zaken created were “curb side” parking that does not exist nor is allowed in Estates II.
• Violation of By-Laws and indifference to the Offering Plan

As reflected in the offering plan. All Cul-de-sacs have parking spots in the center of the street. No Curb Side Parking

Estates l NO CURB SIDE PARKING. 



What Zaken's condo used to look like below. Now instead of a cheap ugly plastic pot to hold the plantings the tree has been transformed with professional landscaping. Metal chains swinging between the trees, ugly furniture and the plastic toy have been replaced with the new landscaping and underground lights.






Will board announce Ely Zaken's resignation?
Did Zaken resign or was it a rouse to avoid consequences for cursing at a resident?

May 28, 2024: Ely Zaken spotted going inside club house where residents are prevented from going. Zaken still telling the staff what to do. CONCLUSION: Zaken is still on the board or Ely Zaken is a salaried employee of Estates ll.  

RC HAS DETERMINED ZAKEN REMAINS ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS. 

OPINION: ANY WHERE MONEY IS SPENT ONE CAN FIND ZAKEN. 

Grounds are a mess most likely because there is no big money spent in upkeep. May 2024
Bluebird Hill Ct:  Everyone should take a look for themselves at the mangled mess on display

News Flash !!

May 13,2024

LONG TERM BOARD MEMBER RESIGNS, BOARD HIDES RESIGNATION 

The Residents Club has learned that long term board member and the Chairman of the Buildings & Grounds Committee has suddenly resigned from the Estates II Board of Managers. 

Mr. Ely Zaken, pictured above, resigned from the Board several days ago after verbally abusing a fellow resident on Estates Terrace Drive. Unprovoked, Mr. Zaken aggressively and loudly cursed out a resident who was leisurely riding his bicycle during his morning exercise.  The incident happened on Monday, April 30, 2024 with a witness nearby.  

Mr. Zaken has a history of brash behavior and has cursed out other residents in the past. Additionally, this marks the second time Mr. Zaken has resigned from the Board of Managers which raises mores questions about Mr. Zaken. 

The Residents Club believes that Mr. Zaken’s resignation had quietly come on the eve of a Board of Managers special meeting to discuss the April 30 verbal altercation. The meeting was to take place a few days after the incident sometime during the first week in May.  

To date, the resident who was subject to the abuse and threats imposed by Mr. Zaken, has yet to receive an apology from the Board or Mr. Zaken himself.

Breaking from normal board protocol, the Board of Managers has yet to inform the community of the incident nor announce Mr. Zaken’s resignation to the community. In the past, the Board would immediately notify the community of any change in the Board of Managers. The Residents Club is perplexed as to the Board’s failure to make such an important announcement to the Estates II community.

In an act of either defiance or cover-up, the Board is obviously trying to hide the facts of this incident and/or is protecting a fellow ex-board member and his history of abusing residents. It is clear the Board’s silence on the incident as well as his resignation is proof that the Board is again prioritizing its own interests and reputation over the well-being and dignity of our residents.

The Residents Club believes that board members should maintain a high level of professionalism. Mr. Zaken on many occasions has fallen short of these expectations. His behavior is not only unacceptable but sets a poor example for the other board members, our management company and the Estates II Staff.

To ensure board members act with integrity and professionalism, the Board of Managers are required to follow a  Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct was established about a decade ago whereby all board members are required to sign and abide by this Code while serving on our Board of Managers. 

Any form of disrespect or intimidation towards Estates ll residents is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.  Hopefully in the future the board will take a more honorable and proactive approach to addressing these issues, while providing a safe and respectful environment for all residents.

WHEN WILL BOARD SEAT BE FILLED
Board should ask for volunteers but they want to find someone who will keep status quo, so the residents are kept in the dark. Board must be having trouble finding a resident to fill the board vacancy who is as immoral as they are.  May 2024
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June 2024 Propaganda News Letter: Opinion pieces

The praise heaped on Ely Zaken is tone deaf. Ely resigned because he called a resident a piece of shit and told the resident he was now his enemy. Nice. Ely Zaken has verbally abused other residents over the years. Ely Zaken is a fowl mouthed resident who cannot control his temper.  Ely Zaken placed rose thorns around the area residents used to feed the kittens. Diabolical. The only person who has benefited from Ely Zaken’s time on the board is Ely Zaken by charging residents for electrical work to there homes. One resident was fined by the village because of Ely Zaken's unlicensed electrical work. Why didn't Rick Saccullo send an email telling that story.

The residents club received an email from a resident stating Ely installed his TV for less money than the electrician was going to charge them. Ely has spent condo money frivolously on items for his own enjoyment and power, like the mulch machine, the ugly shipping container that we are forced to look at so that he could store overly priced garbage room doors that Zaken for some unexplained reason was compelled to purchase. Zaken was in charge of the purchase and installation of the garage doors that are now breaking because they were improperly installed.  Zaken moved the 3 parking spots from the cul-de-sac of Eagles Crescent to the front of his condo in  another self-serving act.

Zaken lied to residents about a license when it had been expired for years, as confirmed by the Department of State.  Zaken told a resident their basement leak was due to a back deck that was not level. Easily proven false with the help of a level. A licensed engineers report stated the leak was due to a very serious issue of the condo sinking due to the over saturation of the ground over decades. Zaken has no expertise and no license and has done more harm than good.  Zaken is a one man wrecking ball who the residents to not believe Estates ll needs for the community to thrive. Residents can breathe a sigh of relief for now. 

There is some irony that the pretend contractor has been replace with a real licensed contractor. We bet this contractor has no desire to purchase unnecessary items with condo funds to inflate his ego. Good riddance Ely Zaken.

If any information in a news article is incorrect please email the Residents Club and correction will be noted. The Residents Club strives for accuracy at all times.