Tenants on rent strike after going without heat, hot water since December

Tenants said they are officially on a rent strike in an effort to force their landlord to fix an array of issues including mold, rats and trash.

Nadia Galindo

Jan 31, 2025, 11:08 PM

Updated 2 hr ago

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Heat and hot water are finally back on at a Flatbush building, where tenants say they've had to endure the cold since December. Tenants said they are officially on a rent strike in an effort to force their landlord to fix an array of issues including mold, rats and trash. The president of the tenants association at 2500 Bedford Ave., where some of those concerns were visible, say there were water leaks, cracks and bulging walls. RELATED: NYC's 'worst landlords:' See who ranked No. 2 on the list
Council member Farrah Louis and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams joined tenants on the tour. It comes after Williams just released his annual worst landlords list and Jonah Banberger, the building's landlord, is listed as No. 16. Tenants said Banberger has refused to address their concerns for years. News 12 found 439 open violations on the HPD website, some of them dating all the way back to the 1990s. There have also been 294 complaints at this building over the last two years, with 30 filed since December. News 12 reached out to Banberger through Aulder Capital, where he is the executive chairman and is waiting to hear back.
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