Housing activists demand more protection from Mayor De Blasio
[Op-Ed]
We stand united as tenants, advocates and concerned New Yorkers with the belief that as residents of this City we have a right to live in safe homes, free of hazardous living conditions and illegal rental and unfair housing practices.
We call on Mayor de Blasio and the City Council to hold Two Trees Management Company accountable, ensuring that they address the severe mold infestation and to examine the rampant rent chicanery tenants continue to experience, before any tax exempt bonds are awarded to Two Trees for Domino project.
It is deplorable when you have an affordable housing tenant, like Katrece Small and her 4 year-old son, who has pleaded with Two Trees Management for release from their mold infested and water damaged apartment, but still nothing has been done, despite her doctor’s pleas to relocate the family, leaving Katrece with no other option but to stay in this dwelling due Two Trees’ indifference and violations.
Both mother and child have tested positive for mold—numerous other families are living with similar conditions including, Nancy Sher and her teenage daughters who live with plastic covering over molded, broken, living room floors to reduce daily inhalation of mole spores.
Two Trees Management’s gross disregard for health and safety hazards, and flagrant rent violations are unacceptable on every level, especially because Two Trees benefits from 421-a real property tax exemptions annually and from the issuance of tax-free bonds by the City of New York for its developments. Many of our rent payments are set in excess of what the 421-a statute requires.
Governor Cuomo has taken the lead with the newly-formed Tenant Protection Unit (TPU) and now we are asking our city officials to follow suit.
Nancy Sher, Jeff Goodman, Stephanie Eisenberg, and Katrece Small are tenants’ rights advocates
