Atlantic Avenue residents struggle with heat, water, and infestations in neighborhood building
The building has been without heat, forcing Michelle and her family to take turns sleeping on a living room cot under a heater they had to buy themselves, a frustrating repeat of last year’s ordeal.
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For the past two days, jugs of water have been Michelle Campbell’s only source of drinking water and water to cook a meal within her building at 2342 Atlantic Ave.
"How long will that last? I have my 80-year-old dad in there who has dementia and everything else, and I need to cook for him to eat!" Campbell said.
The building has been without heat, forcing Michelle and her family to take turns sleeping on a living room cot under a heater they had to buy themselves, a frustrating repeat of last year’s ordeal.
"That is what they did last year; whole almost a year without heat, hot water, and gas - can you imagine?!" Campbell added.
Campbell isn’t alone in her struggle. Neighbors report that along with the lack of heat and water, rats have become unwelcome residents, chewing through food packaging and cabinets.
"The rats was bigger than my leg, and like I said, I’m a big woman. I had to get a cat! This don’t make no sense," said Valerie Smith, another resident.
The building currently has 80 violations and six open complaints in just one day, prompting residents to call on the city to intervene.
"There's a lot of things going on in this building. We just want help," said Tywain Govan, a resident.
In response, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development tells News 12 that "every New Yorker deserves a safe and warm place to call home" and their enforcement team "takes that responsibility extremely seriously."
The agency states that it is aware if the issues at 2342 Atlantic Ave. working with the management company to rectify the situation as quickly as possible.
