Giant landlords turn out to be slumlords

On sunny days, Rafael Delgado of East Elmhurst doesn't think about the fire that gutted the apartment above his two-bedroom flat almost five months ago.

But when it rains, he can't think of anything else.

That's because rainwater rushes into the burned-out top-floor unit through large holes in the roof that were repaired only with a makeshift cover of tarps and plywood. Eventually, the water runs into Delgado's bedroom through gaping holes left in the ceiling by the fire - holes his landlord still hasn't fixed.

Fed-up tenants fixed on lawsuit

Delgado and 17 of his neighbors filed a lawsuit Friday in Queens Housing Court that asks a judge to order their landlord, Vantage Properties, to repair a slew of housing violations in the 29-unit building at 43-43 91st Place.

As of last week, the building had 93 open violations for conditions including exposed electrical wires, stagnant water and raw sewage, city records show.

But Vantage officials said the company is working to fix years of neglect by previous landlords.

Hey, Elmhurst, you're not alone. Check out the horrors in the Bronx!