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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Melissa Orlando, Tenant from 43-09 47th Avenue, Sunnyside
2:20:26
ยท
3 min
Melissa Orlando, a tenant from 43-09 47th Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens, testified in support of Resolution 802, sharing her experience of being displaced by a five-alarm fire caused by a negligent contractor hired by her landlord, A and E Real Estate. She highlighted the lack of legal requirements for landlords to support displaced tenants and the struggles faced by her and her neighbors in finding new accommodations.
- The fire occurred on 12/20/2023, displacing nearly 250 people from a vibrant, diverse community.
- 469 days after the fire, the landlord has not repaired the building or provided support for tenants' living expenses.
- Orlando emphasized the need for legislation to hold negligent landlords accountable and provide housing for displaced residents.
Melissa Orlando
2:20:26
Before I begin, I'm a tenant and I would like to just say that what I've heard from other tenants, our experience across the board, every borough of the city has been the same.
2:20:36
I think no matter whether it's a rent stabilized building or not, income levels, we're all experiencing the same thing with the landlords.
2:20:45
So good afternoon.
2:20:46
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
2:20:48
I'm here in support of resolution eight zero two introduced by my council member, Julie Juan, along with council member Sanchez Riley and others.
2:20:56
Thank you.
2:20:57
My name's Melissa Orlando, and on 12/20/2023, I lost my home at 430940 Seventh Avenue, Sunnyside, Queens, in a five alarm fire started by a negligent contractor hired by A and E Real Estate.
2:21:11
The contractor used caused the fire through the use of a blowtorch to remove paint from a a door frame in in a vacant apartment in our building.
2:21:21
This was cited in the fire report and three criminal summonses were issued almost immediately as a result.
2:21:27
I want to also just have on the record thank you to our first responders.
2:21:31
That day nearly two fifty people lost their homes.
2:21:35
It has been four sixty nine days since the fire.
2:21:38
A and E has done nothing to date to repair the building, which has a full vacate order, or to cover our now compounded living expenses.
2:21:46
That is because they're currently not required by law to do anything.
2:21:49
As astounding as that is, even when clearly negligent, landlords are not required to provide housing, support, anything.
2:21:57
The little that we've received as tenants has been through ongoing negotiation and pressure exerted by all of our elected officials, including council number one and state senator Michael Gianoris.
2:22:09
Forty three zero nine was a lively vibrant community filled with generations of families, as well as new arrivals to Queen's, immigrants, elderly people, people with disabilities, hard working and caring residents, many who had been in the building for decades in rent stabilized apartments.
2:22:24
Imagine the shock of being homeless through no fault of your own and now having to pay rent that is exorbitant, I'll be quick, many many times higher than what you had been paying because we know how expensive New York City has become over the past ten years.
2:22:40
Many of my neighbors are still looking for accommodations four hundred sixty nine days later.
2:22:45
Some have even resorted to sleeping in the subways.
2:22:48
We are all struggling and if you've never been through a fire or lost your home for any reason, it is life altering.
2:22:53
Imagine walking around your neighborhood feeling like a stranger, like you have nowhere to go.
2:22:58
I was fortunate that I could stay with friends and my son could stay with his father, but that wasn't an option for others and it should not be this way.
2:23:05
Our landlord was negligent.
2:23:07
Their contractor burned down our building and yet they have to do nothing.
2:23:12
We know what power the real estate lobby holds in New York but there has to be a line.
2:23:17
Help us to hold negligent landlords accountable and support resolution eight zero two which provides through the state legislature that landlords that are negligent need to pay for housing for displaced residents.
2:23:32
Thank you.