Residents out of cooking gas for over two years in apartment building in the Bronx
NEW YORK - For over two years, residents who live in an apartment building in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx have been living without cooking gas.
No oven, no stovetop -- residents are forced to cook with hotplates and crockpots.
"A landlord is required to maintain cooking gas to an apartment building," said Jean Fischman, a supervising attorney at Bronx Legal Services NYC.
Apartment owners Bruce Robertson and his wife, Betty, are living without gas for over two years now at 1715 Nelson Ave.
"Microwave, air fryer and crockpot, that's what we're using. That's what I cook with," said Robertson.
The couple, who are both battling cancer, rely on electronic appliances to support their recoveries.
"You think we want to survive with no gas? We need to cook normal, healthy food," said Robertson.
A few floors down, 94-year-old resident Martha Henry says she cooks on hotplates. But in order to fix the problem in this 48-unit low-income co-op, she says, "The people in the house should pay rent, but they ain't paying none."
Alliance Property Management & Development tells CBS2 News a gas leak in January 2021 prompted the shut-off. Records on HPD's website show the company has over 280 open violations at the building, several of them involving the lack of gas.
In a statement to CBS2 News, they say their efforts to restore natural gas have been hampered by a few residents who refused to provide access to their units and shareholders and tenants that have refused to pay their maintenance and rent since December 2021.
"That's what we owe them -- $2,525," said Robertson.
The Robertsons say they won't pay because they're not receiving the basic services they need.
Jean Fischman, a supervising attorney at Bronx Legal Services NYC, is representing tenants seeking repairs from the co-op and alliance. She says her clients won't pay because of mistrust.
"Our clients are seeking assurance that the money that will be spent towards the rent, towards dues will be spent correctly," said Fischman.
HPD says they're exploring all options to complete the gas line repair, but the co-op needs about $150,000 for installation.
Residents like the Robertsons say the battle over finances is denying their basic rights.
"This is the life we have to live," said Robertson. "Faith and hope is the only thing we've got."
Bronx Legal Services NYC tells CBS2 News the management company and the co-op did not comply with an order to correct the gas violations from a court order in 2022.
The management company reiterated to us shareholders and tenants are on maintenance and rent strikes, and the co-op lacks financial resources to address the expensive rehabilitation of gas service.
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