2 families displaced after apartment fire, call on city to remove landlord

Two families who have been displaced by a fire in Williamsburg are calling on the city to help them remove their landlord.

Tenants were forced to vacate after a fire in late August. Residents tell News 12 that since then they haven't seen any changes to fix the place up.

Tenants also say they haven't heard from their landlord since the fire.

They have filed a lawsuit against the landlord and are demanding the Housing Preservation and Development Program to appoint an administrator to operate the building.

A spokesperson for HPD says they have not been able to fully inspect the conditions inside due to lack of access, so they haven't been able to determine the best action to take.

They said they have filed a case in housing court against the owner and plan on doing everything in their power to hold the landlord accountable.

"My frustration is that it's actually in the city's hands to take action and come into the building and repair it and they have not, my frustration is that they have not. They have left us alone, they have really left us alone they have not acted on what they can do for us," said resident Maribel Lopez.

Since the fire, News 12 is told families have been living in a shelter.