Tree grows into home: Bed-Stuy homeowner demands city action
News 12 first reported on the tree last December, when NYC Parks said it would be removed in early 2026. But today, the homeowner says the situation remains unchanged.
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A 25-foot-tall elm tree has been pushing into and damaging a Bedford-Stuyvesant home for two years, according to the homeowner, who says she’s still waiting for answers from the city.
News 12 first reported on the tree last December, when NYC Parks said it would be removed in early 2026. But today, the homeowner says the situation remains unchanged.
Erin Uzun, the homeowner, said the delay has left her frustrated and without clear guidance on next steps.
“It’s June 2026. It’s still here," said UZUN. "You say you’re going to take it out, but how are you taking it out? And what are you doing to fix it? No one has been able to give me a straight answer.”
Inside the home, roots continue to force their way through the structure - leaving walls visibly damaged and creating a one-inch gap above the floorboards.
Tenant Justin said conditions inside the apartment have worsened.
“It’s been getting worse. Gets really hot and humid, brings in a lot of the outside inside - ants and creatures that can come in through the gaps in the floor,” he says.
Uzun says the growing pressure from the tree has also caused pipes to burst and ongoing structural damage, forcing her to pay for repeated repairs out of pocket while fearing for her tenants’ safety.
“I have been paying that out of my pocket for pipe bursts and fixing the cracks. My tenants who live there, they may get hurt,” Uzun said.
The property is overseen by the city’s GreenThumb program. Uzun says she was told in April she would receive a timeline for removal, but months later, the community garden where the tree sits remains unusable.
Darryl Montgomery, steward of Hancock Community Backyard Park, said communication from the city has been limited.
“I put my sweat and blood into building this park. We haven't gotten a strong response from Green Thumb Forestry or the Parks Department. All we want is for people to do the responsible right thing,” Montgomery says.
NYC Parks tells News 12 it is prepared to move forward with removal and says crews are expected to schedule the work in the coming weeks.
