Mayor de Blasio said Tuesday that he was “astounded” by the plight of tenants who’ve been kept from their apartments for nine years awaiting renovations.
The city has shelled out $1.1 million subsidizing rents for a dozen residents it moved from a city-owned building in 2008 after the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development vowed renovations would take two years.
“I’m astounded like you are on how long this has gone on,” the mayor said at an unrelated press conference. “It’s going on for many, many years predating us.”
Under a 1996 Tenant Interim Lease agreement with the city, tenants were supposed to be able to buy their units in the city-owned building for $250 once the work concluded.
But for nine years, they’ve stayed in city-subsidized apartments with many having their belongings locked away in storage.
Last Thursday, an official told The Post residents were not being granted access to those belongings “to ensure sustainability” because its service “only allows for move in and move out capabilities.”
A day later, an HPD spokeswoman said there was nothing blocking residents from accessing their possessions, which de Blasio backed up Tuesday.
“There’s also been a question about whether they have access to their belongings in storage in the meantime,” he said. “The answer is yes they do.”
Juan Erazo, 65, who lived at 615 West 150th St. since 1990 before having to pack, said no one from the city has reached out to him.
“All our belongings are in storage,” he said. “Where they are, we don’t know. What condition they are in, we don’t know.”
Luisa Rodriguez, also a former resident, said HPD would not allow her or her neighbors to remove their belongings unless they “take everything out.”
De Blasio said their suffering is almost over.
“Most of those tenants will be back in their buildings this year and the remainder will be back in next year,” he vowed.