Pinnacle Tenants Announce a New Union at 1296 Pacific Rally

Photo by Breanna Maxine

Brooklyn, NY — October 14, 2025

On Monday, September 29, more than 80 tenants, supporters, an Assemblymember and press gathered for a rally to keep the lights and heat on at 1296 Pacific Street, a Pinnacle Group (Pinnacle) property. Tenants of 1296 Pacific Street had received letters from Con Edison (ConEd) warning that the building's common spaces, including the elevator and security cameras, were in imminent danger of losing electricity. Tenants organized the rally to achieve more than just calling out this single incident, but rather to protest Pinnacle’s decades of harassment and building neglect. The larger message to management was clear: We are organized. And we won’t take it anymore. 

The exciting news of the night was the announcement that tenants from 20 Pinnacle-owned buildings across the city, who have all experienced years of disregard from Pinnacle, have organized to form a new Union of Pinnacle Tenants, with a flood of others reaching out to join. Pinnacle Group filed for Chapter 11 in May 2025. As of September 19, more than 5,000 rent stabilized apartments across the city are at risk of going up for auction, making UPT more important than ever to protect tenants.

Neighbors at 1296 Pacific have been on rent strike for five years because Pinnacle refuses to fix basic problems. Residents described roach and rodent infestations, growing black mold and mushrooms, and one tenant shared a story of coming home from an emergency C-section only to step on a nail. 

To paraphrase a 1296 Pacific tenant and CHTU member who spoke at the rally, Brooklynites deserve long-term homes where they can put roots down. They deserve to stop living precariously and in fear of being kicked out of their apartments, or having to suffer unacceptable living conditions.

Protestors carried signs like “As We Rise, Pinnacle Will Fall” and, "Joel Wiener: Put Your Billions Back Into Our Buildings." Banners were hung demanding “Respect. Repairs. We Deserve Safe Homes,” and “From Crown Heights to Palestine: No Displacement,” and chants of “When we fight, we win” echoed through the crowd. A table set up on the block sold books and buttons, raising money to support tenants in the fight against Pinnacle.

As the sun went down, speeches wrapped up and things shifted to a block party vibe. People enjoyed Union-provided snacks, and a DJ kicked off their set with James Brown’s “Living in America.” Neighbors lingered, swapped stories, and shared resources—reminding us that this fight is about more than repairs. It’s about building lasting power, protecting each other, and making sure tenants across the city have safe, secure homes.