The Legal Aid Society filed a lawsuit in Queens Civil Court to demand that ​residents of a rent-regulated Jackson Heights apartment building be allowed access to their units after a fire ravaged the property in April 2021, causing extensive damage and leaving residents without a home for months, as reported by THE CITY.

Kedex Properties LLC, the ​owner of the building, has unreasonably and severely limited access to the property, telling many they cannot salvage their cherished and important possessions, such as photos, personal effects, and original documents. Residents are seeking to safely access their belongings before construction work renders any remaining items destroyed.

The Petitioners, who have “been displaced from their homes during a global pandemic and public health crisis and endured damage to their personal property, may suffer a complete loss of their belongings,” the complaint reads in part.

​The lawsuit also demands the landlord fix the building and provide information and regular updates regarding the repair process. “Kedex Properties can no longer ignore its obligation to undergo the necessary work to ensure the building is safe, habitable, and up to code for the residents to return,” said Amee Master, Supervising Attorney with the Queens Neighborhood Office at The Legal Aid Society.