Bushwick tenants vacated from building since February demand action
The city issued a vacate order on March 20, citing damage caused by the fires. It still remains.
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Nine months after three electrical fires forced tenants out of a Bushwick apartment building, residents are still unable to return home.
The city issued a vacate order on March 20, citing damage caused by the fires. It still remains.
Angel Kaba, a displaced tenant, has been living in a shelter since the fires.
"I would never imagine that eight months later, I would still be in a shelter," she said.
On Wednesday, Kaba and her neighbors stood alongside City Councilmember Sandy Nurse and other lawmakers, demanding immediate action to allow them back into their homes.
Kaba is also pursuing legal action against the landlord and negotiating a settlement.
In a previous lawsuit, a judge ordered the landlord to pay over $400,000 in damages.
The Department of Buildings issued five electrical violations for the property in March.
A spokesperson said that generic electrical repairs had been made but provided no timeline for the tenants’ return.
Attempts to contact the property manager for comment were unsuccessful. Calls to the listed office number went to voicemail, and an email to the ownership’s advertised address was returned as undeliverable.
The city’s Housing Preservation and Development Department has not responded to inquiries about when the tenants may reenter their homes.
