Thread: NY: Illegal alien dwellings or deathtraps?

Dwellings or deathtraps? Sinking economy may be behind rise in illegal housing conversions

BY KARINA IOFFEE
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

Sunday, January 25th 2009, 4:00 AM

When Jesus Castellanos, a construction worker, became jobless in the fall of 2007, he knew he had to cut expenses - big time.

So the 30-year-old moved in with two other men into a small room in a Jackson Heights home for $175 a month.

There was no heat or electricity, and at least 13 other people shared the five-bedroom home, all of them Latino immigrants. But for Castellanos, originally from Mexico, it was the only thing between him and a homeless shelter.

"A lot of people might blame the landlord for being a bad guy, for breaking the law, but he helped us out," Castellanos said.

Despite the city's ongoing efforts to shutter unsafe dwellings, illegal conversions remain a chronic problem, illustrated starkly by the recent eviction of tenants from a home in East Elmhurst with no fire escapes or sprinklers. Another somber reminder is the trial stemming from the 2005 fire that claimed the lives of two firefighters in an overcrowded Bronx apartment.

Complaints of illegally converted dwellings have jumped 62% over the past three years, according to the Buildings Department. That's despite new laws that raised penalties to as much as $25,000 and a year in jail.

With a deepening recession, some advocates worry illegal conversions may become even more widespread, as tenants look to save money and landlords build without securing proper permits to make an extra buck.

"If there is not enough market-rate housing in one neighborhood, people start pushing into the more affordable neighborhoods and displace the residents already there," said Jerilyn Perine, executive director of the Citizens Housing and Planning Council, a group that works to improve housing conditions.

"And with the economic crisis, the problem has the potential to get worse," she said.

In 2002, the city Housing Development Corp. launched the New Housing Marketplace Plan, an ambitious, $7.5 billion, 10-year effort to build affordable housing throughout the city. Since then, 82,000 units have been approved and financed, including in Hunters Point, Willets Point, the South Bronx and East Harlem.

For people who want to stay in their neighborhoods, but can't pay the climbing rents, a basement or attic may be the only choice. While a basement is sometimes legal, a cellar is not because it lacks a second exit in case of a fire.

Despite city campaigns to educate tenants about what makes a dwelling illegal, many might not even know if their home complies with city codes.

"It could be a beautiful apartment in a beautiful building, but not have enough light or air circulation, which is a violation," said Seth Donlin, a spokesman for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, a city agency that oversees the construction of affordable housing.

In the East Elmhurst home on 41st Ave. that was recently shuttered, people were living in a converted garage. There was no second exit, no sprinkler system and insufficient light and ventilation. The owner of the home, Mohammed Ali, did not return repeated calls seeking comment.

In the 2005 blaze where two FDNY firefighters perished, the Bronx apartment had been divided into a maze of smaller rooms. The property owner, manager and two tenants face manslaughter charges.

That same year, an elderly man and three children died after their illegally converted apartment in Elmhurst caught fire.

Castellanos said he's aware of such dangers, but he's nevertheless thinking of moving into a cellar in Jackson Heights. His only light source would be a tiny window; the only exit, one steep staircase.

"If there was ever a fire, I'd have no choice but to jump out the window," he said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/que ... nomy_.html

So this is real evidence that so many of our buildings are turned into the mud huts so popular in the countries they came from. It just proves that they have no thought of returning home, but are awaiting amensty.
I guess when economic times get really bad, I figure I could probably accomodate about 30-40 people, a couple in the garage and about 15 in the living room, stuff a few in each bedroom, all sharing one bathroom, but think of how rich I could get!

Another thing this whole fiasco makes worse. Slum lords run free with sub-standard living conditions and it makes only the worst of of the worst affordable. NY is horrile on this and I know when I went to try and fight some legal things there......there's nothing you can do because they support the slum lord. The face of the typical slum lord has changed as well........it's no longer the rich white guy.