Homeless in Harlem

What is affected
Housing private
Electricity, Sewage
Type of violation Forced eviction
Demolition/destruction
Date 12 September 2007
Region NA [ North America ]
Country United States
Location Harlem, New York City

Affected persons

Total 100
Men 0
Women 0
Children 0
Proposed solution

Stop eviction. Authorities provide reparation for those dispossessed, injured and killed.

Details
Development
Forced eviction
Costs
Demolition/destruction
Housing losses
- Number of homes 28
- Total value €

Duty holder(s) /responsible party(ies)

State
Manhattan North Management
Brief narrative

Stop eviction. Authorities provide reparation for those dispossessed, Unsafe Demolition Forces 28 Families from Homes 100 People Now Homeless in Harlem by Tamsen Fadal 12 September 2007 NEW YORK (CBS) -- In Harlem, more than 100 people have been forced out of their homes after inspectors determined that their building is unstable. They only had about half an hour to gather their things and get out. The building owner had permits that stated that no one lived in the building. But when firefighters arrived Tuesday night, they discovered that was far from the truth. Now, 28 families have been evacuated and told to find somewhere else to live. Out on the street last night, dozens of people, including tenant Bill Santana, were evacuated from 305 W. 150th St. in Harlem. No place to go. No place to go at all. I gotta go to work later on, and I don`t know where I`m gonna leave my kids at, said Santana. On Tuesday a woman who lives in the building called 911 asking for help with a hole that had opened up in the floor of her apartment. The demolition -- that`s why. The wall crack, and it fall down, she said. Firefighters arrived to find more than half of the 84 units in the building were being demolished in unsafe conditions. The city`s building inspectors say floor joists in several apartments were exposed and overloaded with debris. The 28 families were given just 30 minutes to grab what belongings they could and get out of the building. They just started taking out the garbage two days ago. We got bed bugs; we got rats, said tenant Kalvin Santana. Another young tenant, Jasmine Rodriguez, said, I scratch myself with bugs in there. And I don`t like bugs and cockroaches. Tenant Association president Jackelin Javier showed CBS 2 HD the city building permits issued to building owner Manhattan North Management, which state: There are no certificates of occupancy on file for this address. So that means to the Department Of Buildings, we do not exist, Javier said. But those families do exist, and now the Red Cross is arranging temporary shelter for them. Residents are angry and say their landlord has a responsibility to help them cope with the evictions. (© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Costs €   0


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