Tenants Left Without Gas For Months Finally Getting Building Repaired
QUEENS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – Frustrated tenants in an Elmhurst apartment are finally getting some help after they were left without gas to cook with for almost nine months.
The Department of Buildings (DOB) came through with a work permit after CBS2 met with tenants whose complaints had gone unanswered since January.
An emergency request to start the work was granted by city officials to fix the apartment's boiler system, but that approval was revoked when inspectors reportedly found jobs done improperly. There was a fine issued and subsequent applications were denied repeatedly.
"You have to realize when you have some of these older systems it is not an overnight fix," Timothy Hogan, DOB deputy commissioner explained to CBS2's Dave Carlin. "I'm not saying that the media attention didn't assist."
The permit to re-start the work was granted Thursday. The building's owner remains on the hook for a fine of $1,500. Other penalties may reportedly be added later.
The bad news for the tenants is even with the new permit the next steps include going floor by floor and apartment by apartment to install new valves and piping. The final fix may still be many months away.