From the Times Ledger:Getting a low-rent apartment in a basement or attic might seem like a bargain, but state Assemblyman Francisco Moya’s (D-Jackson Heights) office and the city Department of Buildings took to the streets last Thursday to try to teach people that their converted dwelling may not just be illegal, but dangerous.
“We need to spread the word within immigrant communities so that everyone knows their families should not be subject to this,” Moya said in a statement.
Representatives from Moya’s office and the DOB handed out English/Spanish fliers called “Living Safely/Vivir con Seguridad” during the early-morning and returning-home rush hours at 103rd Street and Roosevelt Avenue.
Meghan Tadio, Moya’s chief of staff, said the assemblyman had partnered with the DOB on this issue because many in Queens, especially the immigrant communities that may not have as much access to information, are living in illegal conversions.
“Is your family’s lives worth the savings?” Tadio asked.
Fitzgibbon said the DOB receives more than 10,000 complaints a year about illegal conversions. While the DOB has been running its campaign since 2009 to ensure the safety of those who may live in these apartments, she said it is ultimately the building owner’s responsibility to make sure the apartments they are creating are safe.
10 comments:
There are wonderful legal abode across the border wher the illegals come from - let direct them back home!
Its not only "illegals" who take these shitty dwellings.
Fifteen years of vacancy decontrol and harassment of regulated tenants has led to soaring rents where even legal apartments now have 4-5 to a one bedroom --and they are still each paying half their monthly salary in rent.
Don't just blame immigrants, look upstate at who runs the Senate and carries water for the landlord lobby.
The New York City Dept of Finance would be well served to do "outreach" to the slumlords who make tax free millions on these crap apartments. TAX THEM. the IRS would be well served to tax the immigrant slumlords who rent out attics, basements and chopped up one family homes. TAX THEM at a higher rate for breaking the law.
go to Queens housing court and hear horror stories from tenants renting from immigrant property owners. they resort to third world tactics forcing out tenants in order to raise the rent. regardless of a judges order six months later, new people are in the dump. same story, no heat, no hot water, leaks, dangerous conditions. the only thing that changes - the immigrant slumlord makes more tax free US dollars.
Is the DOB crazy? Make sure it is safe-it is illegal for a home owner to convert a basement in to an apartment. We can't get the Department to take action against these illegal apartments and now they are handing out flyers to tell people what the safty issues are if in fact they are renting one. Give me a break fine the home owner and you will see how fast they disappear. The DOB does nothing. 10,000 complaints - sure they keep coming back to the same houses over and over and never take any action. Go after the property owner for big buck for the ILLEGAL APARTMENTS AND STOP HANDING OUT FLYERS ON THE TAX PAYERS DIME IT'S A JOKE.
It's just like arresting prostitutes instead of the johns.
if NYC enforced it's own housing codes and actually fined landlords this problem would disappear.
It comes down from the top, the Republican administration has a policy of go lite on landlords, screw tenants, make them homeless.
if NYC collected all the fines owed by property owners, there would be no deficit.
the DOB flyers printed up are a waste of our tax dollar. it's another illegal immigrant lobby move on the Crap-opoly board to give subsidized housing to illegal immigrants, shoving Americans back to the end of the line.
I just love how all these greedy landlords justify these death traps by saying that if they didn't rent to immigrants, these poor people would have no place to go. The DOB isn't doing anything to stop this; it's time to call in the IRS.
There is no such thing as "illegal apartments." These are only "undocumented apartments"
The 1990's NAFTA bill caused an income crisis in places like Mexico when the usa's subsidized agricultural products flooded their markets. The farmer's from Mexico couldn't sell food at as cheap a price & their income's collapsed. Then many came here.
Also, The usa has kept low wages LOW, so no americans would want the jobs most illegal immigrants take. Make minimum wage about $20/hour!..... Let income be more evenly distributed as in the 1950s & 60s... And put big caps on rent!
“Is your family’s lives worth the savings?” Tadio asked.
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Es no beeg deal. We no use condoms. Have new keeds soon to replace dem.
I'm sure most tenants are aware of saftey issues, but they are renting what they can afford. These flyers are a waste of time. Flyers would be best served to advocate reporting illegal apartments. I've seen people rent squaler like spaces. How about renting an unfinished damp dark basement with the toilet,stove and boiler right next to each other and your walls are a card board box or sheet. It is sick, but people need a roof over there heads vs living in the streets. Neighbors need to do a better job of controlling the quality of life in there own neighborhoods by reporting these issues. But most people don't care, are too scared to say anything or are running the same scam.
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