Tenants of a rental building at 3821 18th Avenue in Kensington, Brooklyn, held a rally Monday night to call attention to what they describe as hazardous living conditions. Long‑standing complaints about mice, dead rodents, rodent droppings, overflowing garbage and a broken laundry room have, according to residents, gone unanswered by the property owner.
First‑hand accounts of the problem
Micheline Durandisse, who lives in the building, said mice are a constant presence in her apartment. When asked if the situation poses a health risk, she answered, “Yes, yes! If they’re on my bed you know,” before laughing. As she spoke, mice could be seen moving through her unit, and she warned that they could bite.
Durandisse says she has repeatedly notified the landlord, Robert Izsak, but never receives a response. “I never hear from them,” she said when asked what happens after she reports the issue.
Community response and city involvement
Supporters gathered outside the building, chanting, “Izsak get off it! The tenants over profit!” Organizers emphasized that residents are living with deteriorating conditions that threaten their dignity and health. One speaker declared, “We keep organizing alongside our neighbors until they’re treated with the dignity they deserve!”
Shabir, a tenant organizer, recounted that even a health inspector refused to enter the building, describing it as “too dangerous” and a “health hazard condition.” He added, “Brother, you’re being paid to come and look at this. I’m paying to live here.”
Landlord on the city’s watch list
Robert Izsak is listed as No. 23 on the New York City Public Advocate’s Top 100 Worst Landlords Watchlist. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams reminded the crowd that recent years have seen landlords jailed and buildings seized for severe violations, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.
The Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) has placed the building in its Alternative Enforcement Program, a city initiative designed to address housing violations more aggressively. Charlie Dulik of MOPT explained that the program adds increased fines, assigns a coordinator to the building, and facilitates meetings with tenants to resolve problems.
Next steps and ongoing enforcement
Organizers allege that Izsak has refused to meet with the tenant union, but they remain hopeful that the city’s enforcement actions and the building’s hundreds of open Housing Preservation and Development violations will compel change. Building management was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.
The rally highlights the broader challenges many New York City renters face in securing safe, habitable housing and underscores the role of city agencies in holding landlords accountable.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
