Housing officials are trying to force some of the worst landlords in the city to repair their buildings. As part of a new program rolled out this year, HPD identified 200 buildings that have the most serious housing violations—132 of them in Brooklyn—and has given owners four months to bring their properties up to code. If the landlords don’t make the fixes, the city says it’s going to bring in its own contractors to make repairs and then charge landlords for the work. The Times visited some of the buildings that made the worst-of list and found problems ranging from faulty electrical connections to rodent infestation. A tenant at a Bushwick building who has been living without a refrigerator, and that she her unit hadn’t been getting gas. It’s been hell, said the renter. Not even an animal got to live like this. Think the city’s program is going to successfully force change at buildings like this? Check out this map to see the hotspots.
200 Neglected Buildings Get 4 Months to Improve [NY Times]
Photo by Boofer Bear