20-03-2025
Frustrated Brooklyn tenants rally against rent hikes and poor living conditions
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — Dozens of tenants from Rutland Road Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn, gathered on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall Thursday morning to protest significant rent hikes and poor living conditions.
The rally, led by resident Larissa Assogba, aimed to voice concerns over what they claim are unjustified rent increases despite deteriorating living conditions.
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Assogba, who has lived in Rutland Plaza since 2018, expressed her frustration: 'The conditions in that building are horrible. This is considered a first world country, it's giving third world, let's be for real'. She further emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, 'We're asking for human rights. Nobody should be living with sewage. We're dealing with mold, and our rent is going up 700 to a thousand dollars. The city is already expensive'.
The protesters directed their grievances toward their landlord, Amistad Management, and the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). Tenants are demanding accountability and a halt to rent increases until housing standards improve.
Kyla Raskin, a staff attorney at Brooklyn Legal Services, explained that the rent hikes occurred about a year ago without proper notice or due process for tenants. 'A lot of them weren't even notified about this process before it happened. They weren't told that the owner was applying for the increases,' Raskin stated.
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In response to these issues, Raskin and her team are pursuing an Article 78 case in the Brooklyn Supreme Court. Their goal is clear: 'We're saying kind of go back, reverse these rent increases, and start to do your supervisory functions,' Raskin explained.
The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal declined to comment on the pending litigation. Similarly, when reached out for comment, the management company also declined to respond.
As the legal battle unfolds, tenants like Assogba remain resolute in their fight for better living conditions: 'We live in Brooklyn, New York, Brownsville. I know it's rough, but nobody deserves to live like that'.
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