New York housing program highlights landlord negligence

People tend to prioritize having the stability of a constant roof over their heads. What if that roof that you paid to live under, however, was falling apart? What if instead of feeling safe in your home you were worried that the ceiling or walls might break around and hurt you?

Housing officials in New York want to prevent people from living in fear of the hazardous conditions that they regret to call home. Various residential buildings in Manhatten have been flagged as dangerous due to the condition of the premises. A city program aids to foster safer homes and communities for residents of those locations.

Various New York City buildings are problem buildings that need hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of repairs. The Alternative Enforcement Program is supposed to push property owners and landlords to take the action to repair the poor, dangerous conditions of their buildings.

One building alone had a reported 324 building code violations. With the number of residents who inhabit the buildings and community members who walk around the buildings of Manhatten, it is a scary thought that there are apartments falling apart due to such rampant negligence. Landlord negligence is a danger to tenants and communities overall.

It isn’t too much to ask for a tenant to be able to sleep at night, knowing that the roof won’t crumble onto his, her or their children’s heads. Landlords in New York have responsibilities and should be upheld to high standards of safety. Someone who believes that they are a victim of a negligent landlord should discuss their situation with a premises liability attorney who understands New York building regulations and tenants’ rights.

Source: New York Daily News, “Manhattan’s worst landlords force city to foot bill for their crumbling apartments,” Simone Weichselbaum, Feb. 28, 2014