Tenants of three adjoining residential buildings in Sunset Park, frustrated by the deteriorating conditions, rallied on Wednesday to urge city officials to take action.
About 30 tenants and local advocacy group members said property owner Shea Sigal had neglected the building, leaving them without heat all winter, according to a press release.
The rally, held outside three buildings owned by Sigal at 225, 227 and 229 23rd St., highlighted the hundreds of Department of Housing Preservation and Development violations Sigal has racked up.
"This winter was very difficult for all of us, for me and my children,” said Susana Arias, a tenant leader. “In my case, my youngest son and I got pneumonia. Since the beginning of winter, we have been without heat. What we are asking for are our rights. And we are not alone. We have rights and we don't have to be afraid."
The 23rd St Tenants Association, supported by the nonprofit TakeRoot Justice, initiated a HPD proceeding against Sigal in 2023 due to his failure to make necessary repairs. Despite a court-issued Order to Correct for each building in December 2023, tenants said that Sigal has yet to comply, leaving many families in distressing conditions.
Ten tenants have been on a rent strike since April 2024 to pressure their landlord to address their demands.
Jorge Paz Reyes, a community organizer at the nonprofit Mixteca, said when landlords neglect to take care of their buildings and therefore the residents, it is an abuse of human rights.
"In this building, there are babies, elderly people, young people who have a right to a home with heat and proper repairs,“ said Reyes. “This is an abuse of human rights and of the immigrant community. We demand that the owner of these three buildings respect the rights of these tenants and that he make the necessary repairs."
Aura Mejia, Tenant Organizing and Advocacy Manager at Neighbors Helping Neighbors, called for stronger action from local authorities.
"We need justice and we need these owners to be punished more severely," said Mejia. “Sunset Park is not for sale. We are asking HPD to be tougher with these landlords and to better support tenants."
Segal, who is listed as number 17 on the city's Worst Landlord List, has committed gross negligence, according to Housing Attorney Alex Matak from TakeRoot Justice.
"Shea Sigal has claimed that it's the tenants' own fault for the conditions of these buildings,” said Matak, who noted that he filed three motions for civil and criminal contempt against Segal. “This is a slumlord and he does not care about these tenants."
