Mayor Mamdani and Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Dina Levy announced the City has secured a record $31 million in penalties against the owners of Robert Fulton Terrace and Fordham Towers in the Bronx – the largest penalty ever obtained by HPD.

The Mamdani administration is also calling on the Federal National Mortgage Association, Fannie Mae, which has initiated foreclosure proceedings on the buildings, to work with HPD and tenants to identify a buyer who will serve as a responsible, long-term steward of these homes. 

The Legal Aid Society has represented tenants of both towers for several years, working with them to exhaust every available avenue to address the issues that plagued the buildings.

“Every tenant in New York City has the right to a safe and well-maintained home — but for the residents of Robert Fulton Terrace and Fordham Towers, that right has been out of reach for too long. Our administration will use every tool at our disposal to deliver repairs and better management for the tenants of these buildings,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “I’m inspired by the organized tenants and grateful to the teams at HPD, The Legal Aid Society, and Our Bronx for fighting for accountability and improvements.”

“The conditions at Fordham and Fulton Tower—chronic heat and hot water outages, broken elevators, infestations, and nearly 2,000 violations—are unacceptable,” said Zoe Kheyman, an attorney in the Housing Justice Unit – Group Advocacy at Legal Aid. “Our clients have pursued every remedy available, yet the landlord has failed to act. We welcome the City’s effort to transfer ownership to a responsible party and will continue fighting to ensure residents receive the safe, dignified housing they deserve.”