“If it were up to me, all of New York City would be included,” said State Sen. Julia Salazar, who is looking to expand the state’s recently passed basement legalization pathway to more neighborhoods.
The legislation introduced in the City Council last week is geared at keeping tenants in flood-prone basement apartments out of harm’s way.
New Yorkers who withstood the flooding inside their basement apartments—often unauthorized conversions that do not meet city safety standards—now face new hardships and fears, like dangerous mold, future flooding, and the abrupt loss of housing.
For residents in illegal basement apartments, seeking legal recourse against landlords that don’t make repairs might mean an inspection that requires you to vacate the apartment.
Tenants in illegal basement and cellar apartments typically have no lease and limited rights while living in substandard conditions.
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