Dozens of Brooklyn tenants suing landlord for neglect, needed repairs
More than two dozen Brooklyn tenants are taking their landlord to court for what they say are unlivable conditions.
Tenants at the Red Hook Gardens complex say they've lost their Section 8 vouchers due to lack of repairs, and that the nonprofit Carroll Gardens Association that manages the complex plans to demolish it and redevelop starting this summer.
But tenants fear they will lose their apartments if they move out for repairs and not receive an opportunity to move into a new unit once development is complete.
"I think the best solution for the tenants is make emergency repairs right away," tenant organizer Johnny Rivera said, "and provide in writing the guarantees that they can return."
The tenants are now being represented by Brooklyn Legal Service Corp A, and a complaint has been filed in housing court.
"How can you still ask for rent under these deplorable conditions?"
Red Hook Gardens tenants say they are fed up with trash buildup around their buildings, rat and roach infestation, and leaks.
"When it rains, sometimes it pours in my house," tenant Lori Jones said.
Jones says her apartment is falling apart and repairs take years to happen.
Mold can be spotted in multiple locations, and the lock on her front door is broken.
"We get locked in the house, we can't get out. Somebody gotta climb out the window to let us out the house," she said.
Upstairs, the bathroom door isn't secure, either.
"How can you still ask for rent under these deplorable conditions? That's ludicrous," one tenant said.
Nonprofit says they're prioritizing Section 8 vouchers, identifying repairs
A representative from Carroll Gardens Association sent CBS News New York the following statement:
"We are aware of the seriousness of the repair issues and are devoting all of our resources and attention to addressing them. Beginning this week our property management team will be conducting thorough inspections of all Red Hook Gardens units, identifying repairs, and creating an action plan to address them. Hand in hand with addressing repairs, we are prioritizing the restoration of Section 8 vouchers. As part of the Red Hook Gardens redevelopment, which will bring 300 units of 100% affordable housing to Red Hook, all current residents are given a written document of their legal right to return upon completion. To date we have worked with 20 households who have voluntarily relocated and brought their vouchers with them. We look forward to ensuring that remaining households are able to bring their voucher with them for the duration of relocation and return with their voucher to the new building once completed."
