It’s the route to City Haul.
A Democratic contender for City Council in Queens has taken a unique approach to his campaign – he has set up shop in a U-Haul truck following the expiration of his office lease in Maspeth.
Phil Wong, who is soon to step down as budget director for term-limited Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), found himself boxing up his office belongings on Tuesday.
“I’m confident I’ll find a new location soon, but I’ll need some time to get things operational like WiFi and Con Ed,” Wong told The Post.
“The landlord ended the lease. I received a simple email last Friday instructing me to leave by the morning of October 1,” he recounted. However, Wong admitted he was on a month-to-month lease arrangement for the $2,700 per month space.
On Monday evening, Wong sent an email blast claiming he had been “evicted” and appealed to his supporters for extra campaign contributions to help secure new office space.
Christina Cotoia, a representative for the landlord, responded to The Post, asserting that Wong had sufficient notice and was not “suddenly evicted.”
“He is attempting to manipulate the situation and enhance his campaign through misinformation,” remarked Cotoia, stating that the month-to-month lease Wong signed in May concluded in August. “Individuals have been threatening the landlord and the building, which is appalling and unacceptable.”
The Post obtained a copy of Wong’s lease, which confirms that he would be required to vacate if a permanent tenant was found, which was the case last month.
“He was paying significantly below market rates, but the understanding was that he was a temporary tenant and needed to vacate the space if the landlord needed it for a permanent tenant,” Cotoia elaborated. “This individual is campaigning for City Council and is maligning the character of his landlord.”
Wong indicated that he plans to transition into a new office, which comes at a cost of $5,000 per month, by Friday.
Holden has opted not to endorse any candidates vying for his term-limited seat, especially since Alicia Vaichunas, the Republican challenger against Wong, has been his longtime deputy chief of staff.
