Prospect Park Residence (http://www.prospectparkresidence.com/)

There’s a new chapter in the story of a Brooklyn, NY, assisted living building that has been at the center of controversy for the past two years.

Owner Haysha Deitsch agreed last month to pay five residents $3.35 million to vacate Prospect Park Residence by Aug. 31 so that he could sell it to investors. Now, however, an attorney has filed a $5 million lien on the property that could delay the sale.

The saga began in 2014 when Deitsch announced that he was selling the building to a company that planned to convert the units into luxury condominiums. Two months after the intended sale was announced, residents were given 90 days to move, and some of them went to court to prevent the building’s closure.

Residents accused Deitsch of refusing to turn on the air conditioning, dimming hallway lights, providing meager meal plans and keeping the facility understaffed in an attempt to get them to leave. In July 2015, a judge threw out a motion to dismiss their case. In March of this year, Deitsch sued the adult children of the remaining residents for $50 million because they would not move their parents.

The latest lien attempt comes from an attorney who represents the families of seven residents who have filed wrongful death lawsuits because their loved ones died while living at the building. John O’Hara previously secured two other liens on the property, each for $5 million. All of the liens must be paid before the building can transfer to a new owner.