Tenants Of NYC Building Seek Action Against Landlord After Years Of Unsafe Living Conditions

A once-neglected building in Chelsea, an upscale neighbourhood in New York City known for its art galleries, is now a living nightmare for its tenants. Reportedly, one resident has even been forced to wear a helmet in his bathroom to shield himself from falling debris. Waleed Said, a long-time tenant, told the New York Post, “Our lives are miserable, we live in danger.” He revealed he had to wear a bike helmet every time he entered his bathroom. “I could have died because of the ceiling collapsing on my head,” he added.

The building has fallen into disrepair under the ownership of Frank Ng, a landlord based in New Jersey. Tenants claim that Ng has intentionally allowed the property to decay, leading to dangerous living conditions marked by constant leaks, floods, ceiling collapses and extended periods without water. For six months this year, the building had no water supply at all.

Tenants have been embroiled in a long legal battle against Ng, who they allege is responsible for over 325 housing violations in just the past two years. These violations have resulted in Ng being forced to pay over $1,30,000 (around Rs 1.09 crore) for repairs, fees and settlements. Tenants are now waiting for a ruling in housing court that could see Ng face further penalties for contempt of court orders to carry out repairs.

“This neglect is harassment, and it's intentional,” said Said, who, as a former lawyer in Egypt, has meticulously documented the issues in an accordion-style folder. “He's not doing repairs, he's not following court orders. And he's getting away with it. It's really a nightmare,” Said added.

Another resident, Fernando Garotti, said his experience with the previous landlord had been much more reasonable. “Since Ng bought the building, my life has been filled with chaos,” Garotti said.

Altagracia Pierre-Outerbridge, the lawyer representing some of the tenants, expressed frustration with the landlord's disregard for the law. “In my over 15 years of practice, I've seldom seen a landlord have such little regard for the law and the wellbeing of his tenants,” she said, adding, “Despite being on trial for contempt, this landlord persists in flouting the law.”

Ng's lawyer, Thomas Berinato, declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.

The tenants began to take action after a massive rainstorm in 2020, which led to widespread flooding and damage throughout the building. Water cascaded through ceiling-mounted light fixtures, and the building's electricity was cut off to prevent a potential fire hazard. Despite the urgency of the situation, it took more than four years for Ng to complete repairs.

Sabrina Ho, a resident, said the ceiling in her apartment collapsed during the storm. “It didn't just happen one day, it had been leaking for years,” Ho said.

Garotti, who was at home during the storm, woke up to find his bedroom and kitchen flooded, with more than a foot of water in his home. “And to make matters worse, when Ng's daughter came to assess the damage, she was carrying a Ferragamo bag and wearing Chanel shoes. She told me, ‘It's all cheap Ikea furniture,'” Garotti said.

Since then, the tenants have filed 349 complaints with the relevant authorities. These complaints have resulted in 325 open housing violations, including serious issues such as pest infestations, faulty plumbing and exposed wiring. Some of these violations are classified as “immediately hazardous.”

Despite these efforts, the tenants claim that their apartments remain in disrepair. "I've lost over 100 days of work waiting for (the landlord) to arrive and do the repairs," Garotti said.