NYC tenants battle former ‘worst landlord' for repairs years after suing
JAMAICA, Queens (PIX11) — Queens tenants are still fighting for working elevators nearly two years after suing their landlord, who once topped the city's worst landlords list, according to their lawyer.
Enrique Standard, a tenant who walks with a cane, has missed doctor appointments and events with his children because he can't use the elevator, he said. An 82-year-old woman was recently stuck in an elevator and rescued by the FDNY, according to Queens Legal Services NYC.
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It's the latest in a years-long battle between the Queens tenants and their landlord, Ved Parkash, who topped the Public Advocate's worst landlords list in 2015. Parkash has faced dozens of other tenant lawsuits, according to The Real Deal.
'We can no longer keep sitting by and watch all these things happen in our homes. We deserve better. We pay our rent,' said Yolanda, a tenant displaced after a massive fire in a Bronx building owned by Parkash.
In a written statement, a spokesperson for Parkash Management told PIX11 News the company has already made many repairs at the Queens property.
'All issues in the complaint filed last year have been remedied by the company, with the exception of a single outstanding matter. Since this continues to be active litigation, we cannot comment on the details involving this unresolved issue,' the spokesperson said in a written statement.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
Tenants are demanding that both elevators be replaced — and they're prepared to keep fighting if not, according to James Tenenbaum, a staff attorney with the Tenants Rights Coalition. The Department of Buildings has issued over 20 elevator-related violations at the building since 2020, most of which were resolved, buildings records show.
'If we have an agreement on May 1 to replace both of the elevators, we and our clients are comfortable settling this case,' Tenenbaum said. 'If we do not have an agreement to replace both of the elevators… then we're going to be moving forward with our contempt hearings and we're going to be asking for the maximum penalties that we can get against Parkash.'
The elevators have become the focal point, but other issues persist, Tenenbaum said. The Queens tenants initiated a rent strike in January, and are calling for a rent reduction until conditions improve. The building currently has 111 open violations with the Housing Preservation & Development department for issues ranging from mold to roaches to missing carbon monoxide detectors.
'These issues, Parkash does go and address them. We are not contesting that Parkash has tried to make repairs and has made repairs in some common areas and some apartments,' Tenenbaum said. 'They're not quality and they're not sustainable repairs and so even though tenants get some repairs, those issues often times return.'
For the tenants, it's about safety, especially after the fire at Parkash's Bronx building injured seven people and displaced over 150, according to authorities.
'We're worried about the same thing happening here,' Tenenbaum said.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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