Broken elevator plagues tenants in the Bronx – one of 500 building code violations – authorities demand action from landlords

BELMONT, Bronx (WABC) – Tenants, stakeholders and now even elected officials are joining forces to demand repairs to a Bronx building where the elevator is broken.

The elevator failure in the 16-story building couldn’t have come at a worse time, as the city is currently battling a heatwave and extremely humid conditions.

Many elderly residents can no longer go up and down the stairs and are simply stuck in their apartments.

There are more than 500 outstanding violations in the rent-controlled building at 480 East 188th Street.

Senator Gustavo Rivera, Council Member Oswald Feliz, the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition and The Legal Aid Society held a press conference on Wednesday to condemn the landlords of their building.

“We cannot stand idly by while landlords neglect tenants’ basic maintenance needs. The tenants at 480 E 188th Street have waited long enough for action while living in inhumane conditions that compromise their physical and mental health, as well as their daily safety,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera of the 33rd District in the Bronx.

They say the elevator failure is just one of many problems plaguing them. Tenants say they are also dealing with other service outages and harassment over unpaid payments.

“There is no excuse, this is a landlord collecting rent on 960 units, he has the means and the experience – he should know how to make these repairs but chose not to,” said attorney Zoe Kheyman of the Legal Aid Society. “For too long these tenants have suffered deplorable conditions including leaks, vermin infestations and frequent elevator breakdowns, which are particularly problematic as they leave tenants vulnerable to heat-related injuries.”

Of the violations, 147 are classified as “immediately dangerous.” These must be remedied by the property owners within 24 hours of receiving notification of the violation.

“An elevator hasn’t worked for over a year and I’ve called 311 every day,” said tenant Melanie Jackson. “If someone is sick and waiting for an ambulance, they’re not getting the help they need. We need help urgently. We can’t wait until a tragedy happens to hold the landlord accountable.”

The tenants want Fordham Fulton Realty Corp. to make necessary repairs to the elevator and individual apartments, hire a management company and provide the necessary security in the building.

The tenants also called on the state parliament to pass a law to promote purchasing opportunities for tenants.

“Landlords are piling up units they can’t maintain,” said tenant Ahshaki Long. “With the passage of TOPA, tenants would have the opportunity to use responsible management companies and break the cycle of buildings being passed from one reckless landlord to the next. Tenants should have a say in the sale of their buildings and a seat at the negotiating table.”

“Tenants have a right to live in safe housing that is free from heating and hot water problems,” said Oswald Feliz, New York City Councilman for the 15th District. “I am shocked at the number of building code violations that continue to occur in this building. We will work with all city agencies to hold this landlord accountable.”

The legal aid society said both its lawyers and those for the city have taken the landlords to court over problems with the owners’ 12 buildings. They are now asking the judge to look more closely at the violations and impose civil penalties for the failure to make repairs.

The NYC Department of Buildings said it was aware of the problem and returned to the site on Monday due to 311 complaints about the elevator. Inspectors found that one of two elevators was not working. They issued the landlord a fine for failing to maintain the elevator.

Earlier this week, Eyewitness News spoke to similarly frustrated tenants of a building on East 179th Street where the elevator was also broken.

New York law requires every building with five or more stories to have a functioning elevator.

Eyewitness News has reached out to Fordham Fulton Realty for a response.

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