Residents of 172 N 8th Street in Williamsburg had to break through a padlock to get back into their building, even though they are legally allowed to be in there. The residents recently beat landlord Jamal Alokasheh in court, accusing him of trying to empty the rent-stabilized building so he can charge more in the trendy neighborhood.
The DOB issued the building vacated about a year ago due to the building's unstable foundation, and Alokasheh allegedly stalled on renovations. The court threatened contempt, and Alokasheh finally made the repairs. But when the vacate order was lifted, residents found Alokasheh still wouldn't turn on the water, electricity or gas. "It's disgusting," resident Peter Pawlak told the Daily News. "Slowly but surely, he squeezes people out."
Another inspection yesterday found more damage in the foundation, and residents were forced to vacate the building a second time. They are now headed back to court to ask the judge to take the building from Alokasheh's control, accusing him of deliberately damaging the building in order to get rid of the current tenants. One resident said, "He's not willing to work with us. He just wants to kick everybody out and charge three times more." The DOB lists the building as having full vacate and partial work orders, as well as having fines due. No word yet on whether Alokasheh plans to turn the building into the neighborhood's newest illegal hostel.
