Residents of 2342 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn are grappling with a series of harsh living conditions, including a lack of heat, sporadic hot water, and an infestation of rats. Eyewitness News reports that complaints about these issues have been lodged over the past two years, with tenants such as Valerie Smith asking, “One time I asked them if we are dogs, because you’re not treating us like human beings.” Facing a situation where heat and consistent hot water are missing and where the vermin seem to be taking over, these tenants are bearing the harshness of a Brooklyn winter with few resources at their disposal.
According to Eyewitness News, tenant Michelle Campbell uses space heaters and the stove to stay warm, and has even acquired a cat to fend off the rodents; while Roberto Valera, another resident, has set up a dangerous contraption to heat his bath water, these improvisations have led to excessively high electric bills with one tenant reporting bills totaling over a thousand dollars. Campbell has also told News 12 her family’s ordeal of repeatedly having to sleep under a heater on a living room cot, expressing frustration at the repeated lack of basic amenities.
This situation is not isolated, as citywide reports indicate over 15,000 complaints of no heat and 5,000 of those including a lack of hot water from last Friday to Tuesday have been filed; with two-thirds still under investigation. The tenants at this particular address have witnessed 80 open violations and 280 complaints to date. The Department of Buildings confirms they have received multiple complaints and are sending inspectors, with residents awaiting the much-needed intervention…