Tenants at 480 East 188th Street held a press conference today to condemn their landlords, Karan Singh and Sean Campbell, and draw immediate attention to the years-long essential service outages, harassment of tenants, and long-term building neglect.

The tenants have faced ongoing service issues, including elevator outages in the 16-floor building. During the current heat wave, residents are at severe risk of heat-related injuries and other medical issues. Over the weekend, EMT workers were not able to respond to a medical emergency as quickly as needed, leaving the tenant in peril. Tenants with children are struggling to get into their homes safely; many tenants can’t accomplish everyday tasks such as food shopping and laundry, and elderly/disabled tenants are homebound.

The hazardous conditions that endanger health and safety are ongoing. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development has issued 538 open violations.

These unscrupulous landlords oversee about 960 units and have been sued by the City numerous times for their failure to provide safe living conditions. These landlords refuse to appear in court, and they refuse to enact lasting repairs.

In November of 2023, residents filed a lawsuit against the landlord with the support of The Legal Aid Society to force the owner to correct all of the outstanding issues and violations. The owners have not complied with the Court’s Order to Correct. Residents are fighting back – they are demanding that the courts hold the landlord accountable.

Members of The Legal Aid Society, Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition, Senator Gustavo Rivera, and Council Member Oswald Feliz joined the tenants at today’s action.

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