At 1777 Grand Concourse in Mount Hope, 71-year-old Cora Robinson says rats have effectively taken over her kitchen, leaving droppings on the stove and making her too sick to sleep or eat. She says the infestation has gotten worse in recent weeks, with rodents so bold they sprint across her countertops and leap over the makeshift plywood barrier she set up. Robinson, a breast-cancer survivor who lives with a small dog, told reporters the situation has become unbearable. She says she cannot afford to move at her age and worries what the vermin are doing to her health.
Robinson told ABC7, “I can’t sleep, I’m not eating,” adding that she nearly needed medical attention because of the stress and exposure. She has filed complaints with the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and ABC7 reports that documents show HPD previously cited the building’s landlord. Eyewitness News also reported that its team reached out to building management and to the landlords who were respondents in a 2023 tenant lawsuit, and that tenants’ lawyers say that case is still pending.
Tenants Say Problems at 1777 Grand Concourse Go Back Years
Residents say the issues at 1777 Grand Concourse are nothing new. More than 30 tenants sued the building’s owners in 2023, alleging leaks, missing appliances, mold, and vermin. News 12 reported last year that HPD had hundreds of open violations at the property, including multiple Class C citations for pests and other serious code breaches. Tenants and their lawyers say the lawsuit and city enforcement are part of a long-running effort to force repairs and hold building management accountable.
Tenants Beat Back Landlord’s Bid for Big Rent Hike
The state Division of Homes and Community Renewal denied a landlord request in November 2024 to pass a $1.3 million Major Capital Improvement charge onto tenants, according to Legal Services NYC. The tenant-advocacy group said the ruling blocks rent increases tied to work that tenants argue either was not completed or failed to fix the building’s chronic hazards. Organizers at New Settlement’s CASA and tenant attorneys credited both organizing and litigation for that outcome.
Ownership Tied to 1777 GC LLC and Asden Management
Public records link the address to 1777 GC LLC, and management listings show Asden Management operating properties that include 1777 Grand Concourse, with the company listing the building in its Bronx portfolio. Community trackers place the property among Bronx buildings with recurring HPD complaints and enforcement actions, suggesting a pattern of maintenance problems. Tenants say repeated exterminations and piecemeal fixes have not solved what they describe as systemic neglect.
City Rodent Crackdown Meets Building-Level Reality
City Hall has tried to centralize the fight against rats. An executive order created a Mayor’s Office of Rodent Mitigation to coordinate agencies and strengthen pest-control strategies across neighborhoods, according to the mayor’s office. The administration points to trash containerization and interagency programs as tools meant to cut off rats’ food sources and support long-term mitigation efforts. Tenants and advocates, however, say integrated pest management inside buildings and strict enforcement of housing codes remain essential to protecting residents’ health…