Council Member Krishnan, Communities Resist, and Tenants Call Out Real Estate Giant A&E For Hundreds of Building Violations, Broken Elevators, and Neglect

Council Member Krishnan, Communities Resist, and Tenants Call Out Real Estate Giant A&E For Hundreds of Building Violations, Broken Elevators, and Neglect
Rental apartment giant A&E Real Estate has abandoned tenants in 35-63 80th St, 35-64 81st St, 35-63 83rd St, and 35-64 84th St leaving tenants with hundreds of building violations, broken elevators, and more during a heat wave 

Jackson Heights, NY – Yesterday, in front of 35-64 81st St, Council Member Krishnan, Communities Resist, and tenants called out A&E Real Estate for abandoning its tenants in buildings across Jackson Heights. The tenants of 35-63 80th St, 35-64 81st St, 35-63 83rd St, and 35-64 84th St have faced gross mismanagement by A&E.

This includes broken elevators, which has affected tenants with disabilities, parents with strollers, and older residents. Despite having hundreds of building violations, A&E still refuses to take action, part of an ongoing pattern of willful neglect and harmful conditions A&E has perpetuated throughout the city. A&E owns over 180 buildings, which includes nearly 17,000 units. Additionally, A&E has a total of 64,000 violations across New York City.

Due to public pressure and shortly after our press conference, tenants at 35-64 84th St reported that the elevator has been fixed and is now operational. Still, A&E refuses to completely replace the elevator, which has been out of order for two consecutive summers. Tenants have serious concerns about the elevator’s longevity, as this repair is a temporary solution to an elevator that is too old and has a history of unreliability.

[PHOTOS HERE]
[LIVE STREAM HERE] 

“A&E should be ashamed of the living conditions they have subjected tenants across Jackson Heights to as a result of their negligence.I’m standing with the tenants of 35-63 80th St, 35-64 81st St, and 35-64 84th St, who deserve better from a rental monopoly that has put profit over the people that live in their buildings. Tenants have been trapped in their apartments for months because of an endlessly broken elevator, forced to decide between climbing up and down six stories of stairs, risking their health in this endless heat, and getting the groceries or medications. A&E must imminently fix the elevators in their buildings and address the concerns of their tenants,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan, District 25.

“A&E has a history of purchasing properties and driving them into the ground. This is evident throughout their entire portfolio. Examples include lack of heat, hot water, elevators, extermination, and general services. We have more than given them an opportunity to remedy the situation through our various lawsuits. Now time is up and A&E must answer for its crimes against the residents of NYC,” said John Francis, Communities Resist Attorney.

“A&E has continuously neglected our buildings and tenants. This includes keeping elevators out of service, causing tenants to move out or not being able to leave their building. And in my unit alone, my bathroom ceiling and wall have collapsed twice due to an ongoing leak. Despite A&E scheduling repairs, no one ever shows. These tactics and negligence make our living conditions less safe. Make no mistake, we want to stay in our homes and neighborhoods. And to do so, it’s going to require us all to organize much more strategically with fellow tenants, legal services, non-profits, and elected officials at the local, state, and federal level. So let’s be clear: A&E —they’re not going anywhere. And neither are we,” said Nathan Harding, A&E tenant and Jackson Heights resident.

About Communities Resist

Communities Resist (“CoRe”) is a community-based housing legal services and advocacy organization established and led by people of color to empower, educate and represent low-income communities and community coalitions preventing gentrification and displacement. Founded in 2019, CoRe has racked up several impressive wins, stopping nearly 1,000 evictions, filing 4,000+ affirmative litigation cases, engaging more than 8,000 New Yorkers at housing rights workshops and recovering settlements of all sizes for tenants across New York City.

“After years of feeling powerless against our abusive landlord who wasn’t providing heat and hot water nor repairing my apartments, my neighbors and I had no other choice than to reach out for help. With the help of our attorney from Communities Resist we were able to organize a Tenant Association and fight back against the abusive landlord. We finally won,” said Ramona Blash of 316 Suydam St. Tenant Association.

###