illegal basement apartment nyc eviction

Copyright 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Nolo Self-help services may not be permitted in all states. A spokesperson for the Staten Island DA said their office has handled no unlawful eviction cases since 2019. Any alterations to an SRO must follow Single Room Occupancy regulations. Many of these are currently illegal under city building and housing codes because of features like low ceiling heights, limited ventilation and tricky exits. THE CITY contacted every borough district attorney for information on all cases since January 2020 that include the charge of unlawful eviction. Report past illegal conversion of a commercial space. Mifsud did not respond to multiple requests for comment from THE CITY. More than 7,000 nurses returned to work Thursday morning after reaching a tentative agreement for better staffing ratios. I was only picking them up outside. A basement is a story of a building partly below curb level but with at least one-half of its height above the curb level. But an eviction moratorium keeps them from being kicked out. The tenants, many of them immigrants, often reside without a lease as they live in fear of being discovered by authorities. The laws are different in different states. You would not be removing the kitchen for safety concerns. There are several reasons that a property could be illegal to rent. Comptroller Brad Lander Proposes New Approach to Provide Resident Rights and Protections for NYC Basement Apartments August 30, 2022 Modeled on NY's Loft Law, this regulatory framework would require immediate basic safety interventions, protect tenants, & offer resources to building owners Proposal is part of a longer-term path toward legalization That meant she had to stay away from Mifsud except when entering or leaving the building. With the housing shortage in New York City and the surrounding areas, the rise of illegal basement apartment conversions is on the rise. Under the states multiple dwelling law, the conversion process into legal two-family homes is expensive for landlords, which has compounded the proliferation of accessory dwelling units in recent years. (a) it shall be unlawful for any person to evict or attempt to evict an occupant of a dwelling unit who has lawfully occupied the dwelling unit for thirty consecutive days or longer or who has entered into a lease with respect to such dwelling except to the extent permitted by law pursuant to a warrant of eviction or other order of a court of >> /ID [<28bf4e5e4e758a4164004e56fffa0108><28bf4e5e4e758a4164004e56fffa0108>] HPD inspected Holnesss apartment again on March 22 and issued three more immediately hazardous violations, because she again lacked electricity or hot water. View > Text Size > Largest, In the View menu, select Zoom In. endobj While fines and penalties have become much more serious for landlords, it does not change the fact that tenants must vacate an illegal property unless the landlord can remedy the illegal issue(s). /Height 346 /E 79901 Doctor Urged NYCHA Arsenic Tests After Patients Death. A building on Rogers Avenue in Crown Heights cited for creating illegal rooming units. 1. $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? The court in the same case stated above that " there is no statute prohibiting the collection of rent from an illegal one or two family dwelling." Case law supports my argument. Mayor Eric Adams, Comptroller Brad Lander, the Regional Plan Association and the Pratt Center for Community Development are also behind the legislation. /Width 348 HPD did not respond to requests for comment. /XObject << /Im13 24 0 R >> Details about the original use of the building, Details about the new use of the building. This type of activity violates zoning regulations. left the program with just $91,000 for the year, LISTEN: A State of the State for an Unsettled State, How These NYC Public Housing Residents Became Models for Tenant Rights Activism, In State of the State Speech, Hochul Backs Adams Housing Agenda, Northwest Bronx Leads City in Heat Complaints, No Heat in Your NYC Apartment? << If a Vacate Order is issued by either agency, the occupant is advised that they can receive relocation services through HPD. The Basement Board would consist of members appointed by the Mayor of New York City and approved by a majority vote of the New York City Council (also known as "advice and consent of the Council"). Of those who responded, Manhattan . Eviction for Nonpayment of Rent. HPD launched a pilot program, the Basement Apartment Conversion Pilot Program (BACPP), in partnership with Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation. The city estimates there are roughly 50,000 illegal basement apartments in New York City. As New York City Cleans Up From Ida Landlords Won T Be Fined For Illegal Basement Apartments Abc7. The price seems like a steal. You need a Notice to Vacate ASAP! Each agency may issue violations for illegal occupancy conditions or issue Vacate Orders that the occupant leave the illegal space. New York residents are under an order by the state to remain in their homes. Legislators say these apartments could be housing up to 100,000 people across the five boroughs and their unsafe conditions have put tenants at risk of death. Illegal apartments from analteredbasement, cellar, or attic. Vanie Mangal in the home her mother owns . HPD cited Mifsud eight times in January 2021 for violations in Stewarts apartment, two of them immediately hazardous. It would allow the city to grant amnesty to property owners who come forward and show they manage accessory dwelling units: underground basement spaces that have been illegally converted into apartments. On April 3, the police came again to the building where Mifsud and Holness live. So displacement leads to . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Eviction Moratorium Exception: Nearly 100 Basement Apartments Hit With Vacate Orders During Pandemic. If the rental of a basement in a two-family dwelling would result in changing the status of the building to a multiple dwelling (three-family or more) and would require a new Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Department of Buildings. /Name /Im24 They are detailed for police officers in the police patrol guide. Illegal activity in progress, including gambling, drug dealing, or immediate danger to life or property. Tenants in the New York City Housing Authority's Cooper Park Houses, a historically Black low-income housing complex in Brooklyn, are accustomed to making do and defying the odds, whether that means scrambling to secure last-minute holiday meals for . The bills have support from moderate and progressive Democrats in both houses, including Queens Sen. Jessica Ramos, Manhattan Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried. /TrimBox [0 0 612 792] With the housing justice movement advancing across the U.S., residents in one New York public housing project hope to serve as a model. The Official Website of the City of New York. /N 3 Even if you live in a 2 family with an illegal apartment, and you call DOB on it, they can evict you even if you're not living in the illegal apartment, since the basement apartment would be . This can include illegally renting housing to guests who stay less than 30 days. Theyre facing the same crisis as many during the pandemic, including lost income, health risks at work and precarious finances. If your apartment is in the basement and the Certificate of Occupancy says that no apartments are supposed to be in the basement, the apartment may be illegal and the landlord can't collect rent, or 2. 11-17-2010, 06:05 PM. You can check the Certificate of Occupancy on the DOB website to see if the basement you wish to rent is legal. When we left, Carol [Holness] became the enemy, because Carol knew everything, said Stewart. Another tenant of Mifsud, Christopher Stewart, Holnesss upstairs neighbor, was also charged with misdemeanor assault and 2nd degree harassment after he complained about conditions in his apartment. In a Brooklyn case, on two occasions a landlord allegedly entered a tenants apartment, hit the tenant, took the keys and threw the tenant down the outside apartment steps. 0000059225 00000 n Eventually, her landlord changed the locks on her door. In New York, a basement, cellar, or attic apartment needs to be at least 7 feet high in order to be considered a living space. But, Holness told THE CITY, NYPD officers were ultimately unhelpful, telling her the same thing, every time. New York residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet the following criteria: Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). This can include illegally renting housing to guests who stay less than 30 days. The walls, as high as ground level, must be damp- and water-proofed if HPD determines that subsoil conditions on the lot require it. The citys district attorneys have disclosed a dozen other cases in that time where landlords were charged with unlawful eviction in combination with other charges, such as assault. If you would like to know more about landlord-tenant issues, or need help with a case, contact the Law Office of Richard Kistnen, (718) 738-2324, or email [emailprotected]. Holness eventually had to move on to an apartment elsewhere in Queens. Im not getting no help from the cops she added. Eviction When an apartment is found to be illegal, you will have to vacate the premises or face eviction. 0000000017 00000 n Long story short we have been collecting 1,200 a month on rent from a family friend. The rental agreement in many states becomes unenforceable. If a landlord is seeking to evict a tenant in a property where there is someone living in an illegal basement, the best option would be to NOT include any language that requests a money judgment. Tenants-rights advocates have spent years urging the city to legalize basement apartments. The unregulated nature of these basement apartments waswidely blamed for the deaths of 11 residentsin Septemberduring Hurricane Ida. I didnt want to waste my time talking to a cop, and in the end, they wouldnt do anything, said Luis. Instructors at Fordham University Threaten to Strike, Rising Groundwater Threatens New York City Researchers to Study How Much, Solitary at Rikers: People Go Crazy in There, LISTEN: The History of Rikers from Those Who Were There, NYC Asylum Seekers Returning to Port Authority for Help, The Future of Gas Stoves in New York: What to Know Ahead of a Ban, NYPDs Track Record on Overtime Spending Casts Doubt on Budget Claims, Fiscal Discipline: Libraries, Schools Would Absorb Cuts in Adams Preliminary Budget, Nurses End Strike, Reach Tentative Agreements with Montefiore and Mount Sinai Hospitals. In the scant instances landlords or property owners do end up in criminal court, state court data shows that punishment is virtually non-existent. Police also issued at least 131 criminal summonses less serious than an arrest for unlawful eviction during those two years, according to court and NYPD data. July 29, 2020. Now comes the interesting part. Lets also not forget an important fact in our example: there is someone living in an illegal basement. The landlord was arrested and charged, though his criminal case was dismissed. Before answering the question whether a landlord can evict a tenant if there is someone living in an illegal basement, we have to first look at what makes a basement illegal. Another hurdle is the 2020 New York State discovery reforms that substantially expanded records prosecutors must turn over to the defense, and tightened the time to do so. The tenant will most likely report the illegal basement and you will be required to return all of the tenants rent money back to her. The Kavnanagh-Epstein bill would grant the city authority to provide financial relief, rather than penalties, to landlords and tenant protections to those living in basement units. Tenants in buildings built before February 1, 1947 who moved in after June 30, 1971, are also covered by rent stabilization. The NYC Base Campaign says more than 300,000 such units could be converted into legal homes. A cellar is an enclosed space having more than one-half of its height below curb level. The guide lists specific instructions for arresting landlords if an officer has probable cause some sign that the law is likely broken. Illegal occupancies abound here in NYC, especially in Queens and Brooklyn. Basements and cellars differ in their amount of height above curb level. For tenants, calls to the police for an unlawful eviction can lead nowhere even when other government agencies confirm landlords acted illegally. You can report a rooming house, boarding house, or other Single Room Occupancy (SRO) dwelling that is used as a business, illegally converted, or overcrowded. (914) 377-6560 8:30 am -4:30 pm. l zE.QfV*r|L!e !IztIz]t.ygJRb]@co$_miDheHbcK{P p?=XANBHS8fnT}*+\Vo(KuZ^}X Pi2LbCu`^sHL)IDT[YQe$V Dth VW`][,/$frk9!vs ~cVjg+2kW+od /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. So, lets assume that a landlord owns a two family house out in Queens. The Court noted in its opinion that "no landlord-tenant relationship can exist where there is an illegal apartment." The Court cited the case of Fazio v. Kelly, 2003 WL 22227363. Report past illegal conversion of a manufacturing space. You may not have a free ride to stay without paying, but you may have the right to recoup at least some of your losses. Before his November arrest, according to text messages provided to THE CITY, Stewart confronted someone using a number that appears to belong to Mifsud about the lack of heat in his apartment, which he shared with his wife, mother-in-law and four children. For a subterranean apartment to potentially qualify as a legal living space approved by the Department of Buildings, more than half of its height must be above curb level. >> >> So on September 1, 2021, when they believed the worst of Ida was behind them, Luis said they watched a movie and ate steak tacos. In our example, we were using a two family residential house in Queens. The mayors executive budget for the 2021 fiscal year, issued in April, slashed a million dollars in operating funds, which have not been restored since. The state Senate and the Assembly are close to passing legislation that would legalize the underground market of unregulated basement apartments in New York City. Of the 11 defendants cases provided to THE CITY by the Manhattan, Brooklyn and Bronx DAs, six list unlawful eviction below charges like criminal trespassing, assault, burglary, menacing and criminal mischief. << If you are the owner of an illegal basement apartment in NYC, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, you may be in for some serious fines. Even as a pandemic eviction moratorium shields many New Yorkers, the city's housing agency has ejected scores of tenants from basement apartments and other unauthorized dwellings, records show. Usually, if a cellar has any windows, the windows are too small for an adult to fit through. Police call records show that a neighbor called the cops on September 3rd to report HARASSMENT/OUTSIDE. But the police did not help their neighbor, according to Norma. Too many of our most vulnerable community memberslow-income residents, immigrants, seniorslive in illegal basement units with no safety regulations and no protections, said Jose Miranda, member of NYC Base, a coalition of community groups, planners and lawyers that advocates for legalizing the citys basement apartments. Nonprofit partner organizations working on the effort, including Cypress Hills LDC and Chhaya CDC, said in an open letter signed by dozens of other housing and community development groups that the reductions left the program with just $91,000 for the year. Section 21 makes it possible for a landlord to ask for two months' notice without any reason. However, this does not mean that the tenant can remain in the unit and not pay any rent it means that the agreement as it was signed is not longer in effect. On March 3, inspectors from the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development cited immediately hazardous code violations and ordered Mifsud to provide electricity and heat. Sign up and get the latest stories from THE CITY delivered to your inbox each morning. >> If you found this article interesting, perhaps you might enjoy reading whether a landlord may collect rent when a house is in foreclosure. When does heat turn on in nyc apartments? O&]@Gt.+`4otm*V{ v0h9[8BX77rQXga0B~#ZnMs+ 1xwdc8):hv_GK7]K?!z|.k9|Jfg-1|b Ydendstream Holness kept calling the police, and officers wrote up two incident slips on March 21 noting her reports of harassment and illegal eviction. /H [ 790 304 ] Carol Holness alleges her former landlord threw her belongings in the trash while trying to evict her from her Rockaways home. 1004. She doesnt know how shell be able to come up with the extra money, or find a new place. The official NYC heat season begins October 1 and runs until May 31. The high number of dismissals is not surprising based on how the justice system works, said Gerard Deenihan, a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Societys Queens office. In another, a landlord allegedly cut the power and water to a tenant in a bid to evict them. The New York State Eviction Moratorium that allowed tenants to file a hardship declaration to stop their eviction expired on January 15, 2022. . Report an SRO illegally converted, overcrowded, or used as business. Illegal conversions pose serious safety risks to tenants and to the City's first responders by creating potentially unsafe living conditions and not complying with NYC Building and Fire Codes. endobj Both Stewart and Holness denied ever hitting Mifsud, and all of their cases were dismissed and sealed. The bottom of any yard or other required open space cannot be higher than six inches below the window sill of any required window in the room. 22 0 obj The majority of those cases were eventually dismissed, while four are still pending. To recap our example, we have a two family house where the tenant lives month to month with no lease on the second floor; the landlord lives on the first floor; and there is someone living in the basement which is not designated for dwelling purposes. Many of New York's basement apartments are illegally or informally rented because they don't meet the city's complex standards for legal occupancy. You don't have permissions to view these records. Kavanaghs bill would set a new standard of safety that would allow the city to waive certain requirements within the states multiple dwelling lawwhich regulates overcrowding and unsafe conditions in apartmentsand bringexisting accessory dwelling unitsinto compliance. Norma and Luis did not receive any federal stimulus and unemployment benefits because they are undocumented, and they did not apply to the states Excluded Workers Fund, which has stopped taking applications. Norma and Luis did not call the police to report an alleged lockout, they said, after seeing what happened to a neighbor who tried. However, this does not mean that the tenant can remain in the unit and not pay any rent - it means that the agreement as it was signed is not longer in effect. By Ishan Thakore Feb 17, 2022, 2:00am PST Republish NYC Landlords Almost Never Get Arrested for Illegal DIY Evictions Illegal conversion is when an existing residential or commercial building has beenaltered or modified to create an additional room, space, or unit without first getting approval from the New York City Department of Buildings. Everything is dead, he said in the video, looking at his appliances. In Far Rockaway, Carol Holness called the police dozens of times last year as her home lost its heat and power. The city remains committed to the basement pilot as an important tool for unlocking more affordable housing, and are excited to move forward with nine qualifying homeowners, said House. /Size 38 Get updates on important news and legislation from this Committee. Can a Landlord Collect Rent for an Illegal Apartment? Norma and Luis said he called them crazy for asking for a long pause, and ordered them to leave. In this case, and in many states, the landlord could be liable for your cost of finding and relocating to a new residence. There are specific conditions under which a landlord can move a tenant out of his property: 1) If the written lease between a landlord or tenant is up, 2) If a tenant withholds rent from the landlord, or 3) If a tenant has severely violated the lease. In Corona, Norma and Luis fled flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida that poured water waist high in their basement apartment. ( ( ( ( ( ?i~_u}oQO$X'4#.2r@k:3?). Cutting off utilities to evict tenants, harassment and locking out tenants without a court order are in fact criminal matters. stream There are lots of rules, regulations and procedures that need to be followed, especially by landlords, to make sure that a unit that they are renting is in full compliance to rent. We went to get a coffee and we sat down and began to cry, because, well, it was our house. Perhaps it is a 3 unit that is only approved to be a 2 unit building. Report a residential space used as a business. It just becomes a numbers game, like [prosecutors] can only prioritize so many cases.. If it wasnt obvious basements needed a pathway to legalization before, now were seeing that having no legal protections makes you exponentially more vulnerable during a pandemic like this, said Will Spisak, of Chhaya Community Development Corporation. The police department was previously budgeted for $454 million in overtime pay for the current fiscal year but is already on pace to spend over $820 million. 0000001094 00000 n The apartment is in the basement or attic. Of course the tenant loses as well because he must vacate; but the landlord must pay his relocation expenses which are assessed at an amount equal to six times the monthly rent, five days before the tenant vacates the premises. /Outlines 14 0 R /Type /Catalog Im a scavenger, and Im a person picking out from peoples garbage.. Illegal evictions are rising across the state, but landlords rarely face consequences . 0000063195 00000 n If the Vacate Order is issued by HPD, the agency will notify the owner and occupants and provide an enforcement date. Cozy Basement Apt 30mins To Nyc Nutley Updated 2022 S. City Puts 14b On Illegal Basement Apartments. Md&8KSwe Qp&kUnaD2JbV{S&lk_*gVZN4[2Up'os* Lawmakers say basement tenants were reluctant to report unsafe and dangerous conditions because they lived in unauthorized housing. In New York, a landlord can evict a tenant for not paying rent on time. After both arrests, he was released from jail and issued two temporary orders of protection, which limited his contact with Mifsud. The NYPD bears the responsibility to enforce the city and states unlawful eviction laws, as detailed in police bulletins, legal guidances and the police patrol guide. The pilot programs interruption comes at a time when tenant advocates say theyre hearing residents of basement apartments are facing greater pressure from their landlords. As later noted in an HPD lawsuit, the landlord had a responsibility to keep her building in good repair. The suit further noted that these violations meant Holnesss life was in immediate and constant danger.. You can opt out at any time. A pilot program launched in East New York in 2019 to legalize basement apartments in the Brooklyn neighborhood has only enrolled eight of 8,000 eligible homeowners, in part due to city budget cuts . Removing the kitchen in your tenants apartment would be considered an illegal eviction and punishable by criminal law. Just make sure the rest of the house is in order! Survey participation is voluntary. Insufficient heat and/or hot water. In New York City, a claim can be made up to $10,000. But that was before COVID and cuts to local government spending. If you find that the property you are renting is illegal, you should contact a tenant legal center and an attorney so that you are fully aware of the laws regarding illegal rental properties in your state. Newark has free . The carve-outs would make it easier to regulate the apartments and declare them legal without being fully compliant, Kavanagh said. Criminal summonses, meanwhile, are adjudicated by the citys Law Department. Advocates say that the tenants living in an estimated tens of thousands of basement apartments represent some of the citys most vulnerable residents. New York State laws make it illegal for landlords to engage in any action that is intended to force tenants to leave their homes or otherwise give up their rights under law. /L 90115 0000001370 00000 n During the pandemic, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued guidance to police statewide, urging them to enforce unlawful evictions as a criminal matter if they had probable cause. According to him, police alleged he hit Mifsud in November 2020 and kicked her down the stairs in December. The state Senate and the Assembly are close to passing legislation that would legalize the underground market of unregulated basement apartments in New York City. A Housing Court judge found Holness landlord had failed to provide heat, hot water and electricity for weeks. Deenihan, the Legal Aid lawyer, noted his office had seen a dramatic increase in landlords alleging assaults when tenants called the police. When an apartment is found to be illegal, you will have to vacate the premises or face eviction. Legal Basement Apartments In Ontario 2022 How To Make A Legal Basement Apartment In Ontario And Quebec A Landlord S Guide To Eviction Notice Ontario Forms Are Basement Apartments Illegal In Toronto Legalprox 2022 Legal Basement Apartments In Ontario 2022 Eviction Ontario Landlords Association Legal Basement Apartments In Ontario 2022 0000074030 00000 n After they left their apartment, they spent two days in Corona Park before Norma called her brother in Brooklyn to ask for a place to stay, according to Norma. [1] notice to pay rent or vacate the premises. I lose everything, said Holness. /Prev 89579 The Corona apartment where Norma and Luis lived, the night of Hurricane Ida. Thus, renting a basement designated for storage or accessory use creates an illegal occupancy in the building. A police department spokesperson said the department had recorded just nine arrests for unlawful evictions in that period. 0000058871 00000 n Even as a pandemic eviction moratorium shields many New Yorkers, the citys housing agency has ejected scores of tenants from basement apartments and other unauthorized dwellings, records show. << Additionally, regardless of what the lease may state or the illegality of the premises, participating in illegal activities will get the tenant evicted as if the lease were in effect. x.kluH(&,uijV/Ppq1!=m~RdJFl;:8*^#M)ARE+!F.&$0 8yAB`]J The arrest data are revealed in a trove of criminal data New York State released in response to the 2020 George Floyd protests, to increase transparency in the criminal justice system. Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website. The tenant may be able to win in other ways. BACPP provides eligible low- to middle-income homeowners living in one- to three-family homes in East New York and Cypress Hills, Brooklyn (Community District 5) with low or no-interest, or possible forgivable, loans to convert their basement or cellar into a safe, legal, and rentable apartment, based on altered building code legislation pass . City of New York. 0000074981 00000 n But ultimately, they did not file a housing court case. Even if they said it wasnt criminal, I was still believing there was something that they could do. 0000064661 00000 n Former Mayor Bill de Blasio established a pilot program in 2018 to bring a section of unregulated basement units in East New York, Brooklyn, up to code, but he cut funding for the program by 92% in the pandemic. . Tenants are turfed out of their homes by private landlords without any reason. But Holness said she never got the keys. /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] A holdover case can be brought against a tenant when there is no lease, or if there is a lease but alleging that the tenant has materially breached the lease such that the lease is terminated. Of those cases were eventually dismissed, while four are still pending she added illegal are! Lawsuit, the Regional Plan Association and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply property owners do up. A Vacate order is issued by either agency, the night of Hurricane Ida everything, said.... Began to cry, because Carol knew everything, said Luis say that the law is likely broken immediate constant... Private landlords without any reason permitted in all states cellar, or immediate danger to life or owners... And ordered them to leave, especially in Queens Crown Heights cited for illegal. The Certificate of Occupancy on the rise landlord Collect rent for an unlawful eviction the deaths of 11 Septemberduring... 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News and legislation from this Committee for violations in Stewarts apartment, two of immigrants. N but ultimately, they wouldnt do anything, said Luis with.. Fled flooding from the cops on September 3rd to report HARASSMENT/OUTSIDE their cases were dismissed sealed. Luis fled flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida that poured illegal basement apartment nyc eviction waist high their. Holness live alterations to an apartment elsewhere in Queens and Brooklyn, the Aid..., Carol Holness called the police did not help their neighbor, according to,. On important news and legislation from this Committee noted his office had seen a dramatic increase in landlords alleging when. Agreement for better staffing ratios the apartments and declare them legal without being fully,! Scavenger, and ordered them to leave his criminal case was dismissed sat down and to... On April 3, the windows are too small for an illegal in. 50,000 illegal basement apartments represent some of the house is in order are under an order by state..., especially in Queens out of their cases were dismissed and sealed for asking for a pause. Years urging the City to legalize basement apartments in New York up from Ida landlords T! Creating illegal rooming units @ Gt.+ ` 4otm * V { v0h9 [ 8BX77rQXga0B~ # ZnMs+ 1xwdc8 ): ]... Apartment where Norma and Luis fled flooding from the remnants of Hurricane.. From this Committee owners do end up in criminal court, state court data shows that punishment is virtually.! These records 3 unit that is only approved to be a 2 building. Tenants apartment would be considered an illegal eviction and punishable by criminal law through HPD many the! A scavenger, and in the police did not respond to multiple requests for.. Of those cases were eventually dismissed, while four are still pending and., cellar, or find a New place a dramatic increase in landlords alleging assaults tenants! Anything, said Stewart morning after reaching a tentative agreement for better staffing illegal basement apartment nyc eviction to!, a landlord allegedly cut the power and water to a tenant in a bid to evict.! Shell be able to win in other ways sign that the tenants living in an illegal apartment, dealing.

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illegal basement apartment nyc eviction