Residents Of Mitchel Houses Development In The Bronx Fed Up With Leaky Ceilings, Other Problems
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Fed up and fearful for their families, a group of residents living in city housing in the Bronx say they have had enough.
After numerous calls for help, they say the New York City Housing Authority is not doing anything about the long list of concerns.
As CBS2's Erin Logan reported, the crackling, leaky ceilings are sometimes like a faucet at the Mitchel Houses in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx.
"We could literally go door-to-door. Everybody has a story," said Nakeilly Felix of the Bronx. "It's bad."
Felix has called the housing development in the Bronx home for more than 20 years. She said she is used to poor living conditions, but in the last few months, she describes conditions as unlivable.
Felix shared the photos from inside her apartment – showing gaping holes, cracks in the floor, and even rodents. But it is a leak in the lobby that has residents joining forces to demand that something be done.
After a few days of watching his neighbors' looks of disgust, Francisco Mendez said he has had enough.
"At 10 p.m. last night, I had to empty the bucket because they were full of water -- yellow water too," he said. "It's disgusting and dangerous."
Residents said they have called the management office and housing authority many times, and have gotten no response. If something is fixed, it is usually broken again.
"If it's not a leak there, it's a leak there," said Antoni Mercedes.
One resident invited CBS2 inside her apartment, but did not want to show her face because she said she has called so many times and nothing has been done. Now, it is at the point where she is afraid to let her children use the bathroom.
"That's not fair to have to tell my child to put their boots on to brush their teeth; put their boots on just to use the bathroom," the woman said.
CBS2 went to the management office right next door to the building to try to get some answers. No one would speak, and CBS2 was handed a generic email address.
"What if my child is sent to the hospital and diagnosed with something?" the woman who invited CBS2 in said. "What is NYCHA going to tell me?"
The residents said they will keep calling, emailing, and showing up at the management office until they feel their building is safe to live in.
NYCHA responded to CBS2 saying in part: "This is unacceptable. The necessary repairs are already underway. We can and must do better for our residents."
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