East New York NYCHA tenant says she's still awaiting repairs to collapsed ceiling

Amelia Martinez stepped out to take a shower in her East New York apartment on Dec. 22, but soon after she heard a loud sound -- her bedroom ceiling had come down.

News 12 Staff

Jan 10, 2020, 1:02 AM

Updated 1,730 days ago

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A longtime NYCHA tenant claims the housing authority hasn't fixed the ceiling in her apartment after it fell last month.
Amelia Martinez stepped out to take a shower in her East New York apartment on Dec. 22, but soon after she heard a loud sound -- her bedroom ceiling had come down.
Martinez filed a maintenance ticket, but then on Dec. 26 part of the ceiling in her son's room also came down. Her son was able to put a temporary patch on the ceiling and cover part of the wall in her room.
But when maintenance came on Dec. 27, she says they tore down a wall, surveyed the damage and told her they would look into it.
NYCHA says the ceiling collapsed due to ventilation issues, which caused condensation on the Sheetrock. Workers opened the walls to let it dry and discussed permanent solutions to the problem, including mechanical ventilation on the roof to allow steam to escape.
A strong smell of polyurethane and visible mold in the wall has left Martinez feeling concerned.
A NYCHA spokesperson says the property maintenance superintendent visited Martinez after News 12's cameras left to check on the smell. They suggested temporary housing, but she declined.
NYCHA staff determined it was safe to close the walls and expect repairs to be complete by early next week.