NYC Wins $2.1M Settlement to Fix 4,000 Housing Violations

New York City just delivered relief to hundreds of tenants who've been living in buildings with broken elevators, no heat, and dangerous conditions for years.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday that the city reached a $2.1 million settlement with A&E Real Estate covering 14 buildings across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. The agreement will directly help 750 tenants and force repairs on more than 4,000 building code violations.

The settlement also prevents A&E from harassing tenants and requires sustained compliance moving forward. According to city officials, A&E had racked up a staggering 140,000 total violations over the years, including 35,000 in just the last year alone.

Diana De La Paz, a tenant who spoke at the announcement, described what living in one of these buildings felt like. She said elevator outages lasting months "effectively imprisoned elderly and disabled tenants in their own homes."

Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Dina Levy called this the agency's biggest settlement in its history. The city now has a clear roadmap to ensure repairs happen, with the option to remove buildings from owners' control if landlords don't comply.

Mayor Mamdani made the city's position clear during the news conference. "We want to make it clear to everyone in this city that no one is above the law," he said. "If you are a landlord violating the law, then this administration will hold you to account."

The Ripple Effect

This settlement does more than fix elevators and boilers in 14 buildings. It sends a signal to landlords across the city that enforcement is real and consequences are coming for those who neglect their properties.

The mayor also announced "rental ripoff" hearings in all five boroughs within his first 100 days. These hearings will bring together multiple agencies to listen to tenants and shape future enforcement based on what New Yorkers actually need.

City Council member Shekar Krishnan, a former tenant lawyer himself, emphasized why this matters. "Tenants' rights are not worth more than the paper they're written on if they're not enforced in reality," he said. "Here we are today showing what enforcement looks like."

A&E Real Estate responded by saying they've invested in replacing boilers, rehabbing elevators, and fixing violations in buildings they purchased in disrepair. The company says it's pleased to have settled and looks forward to partnering with the city to improve residents' lives.

For 750 families who've dealt with broken elevators, no heat during winter, and infestations, this settlement means real repairs are finally coming.