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Evicted residents don't know if they can ever return

By David Freedlander | dfreedlander@am-ny.com

January 23, 2008

Hagai Yardeny (left), a tenant of seven years, discusses with his neighbor the latest news and rumors about the city vacating the building. Photo taken in Yardeny's apt. (Lane Johnson, amNewYork / January 21, 2008)

The 200 some tenants booted from their Brooklyn building over the weekend because of a fire hazard still don't know when -- if ever -- they can go back home.

"I have no idea," said Nachman Brach, the building's owner Tuesday.

Councilman David Yassky, who represents South Williamsburg, told his newly homeless constituents of 475 Kent Ave. that, according to officials at City Hall, they wouldn't be allowed back until the building has a valid certificate of occupancy, a permit allowing people to use the space. But that process could take months depending on how fast the landlord files the paper work and brings the building up to code.

The building, a converted warehouse, was vacated by fire marshals on Sunday. The danger was posed by grains left over from a matzoh factory in the basement.

There are believed to be thousands of residents in Brooklyn and Queens living in converted manufacturing buildings without proper occupancy certificates.

A Department of Buildings spokeswoman said that the city was still trying to decide on the best way to proceed.

"Once the fire safety concerns are addressed, we can consider allowing the residents to return to the building," said Kate Lindquist of the buildings department. "The owner must still address the building violations, but he may be able to do so while the residents are living in the building. That is under consideration at this time."

Yesterday, many tenants waited hours to get upstairs to gather their things. The police department limited the number that could be in the building to about a dozen a time and had officers guarding each floor to make sure residents didn't linger behind.

"It's like they are torturing us," said Kathleen Gilrain, a nine-year resident of the building who had been waiting four hours to get inside on a blustery afternoon. "They tell us to get out then they make it completely impossible to vacate the building. These are the people that are supposed to save us in an emergency?"