BRONX, N.Y. - The Department of Housing Preservation and Development has notified the owners of 250 buildings to fix them quick or expect big bills.

Here’s the list of buildings entered into the HPD’s Alternative Enforcement Program: 1967 Marmion Avenue in the Bronx is on it. David River has lived at the address for almost two years. He said the heat and hot water are sporadic at best and some of the conditions are dangerous.

"For a good month we had to fight off mice that’s not cool," he noted.

Walking around 1967 Marmion Avenue, some of the hundreds of city housing violations are obvious.

"This window has been broken since we moved in here," River pointed out.

Overall, 233 violations are considered hazardous, 50 immediately hazardous.

"The landlord said he fixed it," said Valerie Allen, another resident. "He lied to me."

Like many other the 70 or so apartments there are infestations of roaches and rodents.

"It’s sickening," she complained, "It makes you sick, especially when they die, they have a certain smell."

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development put the 250 buildings on its annual list, entering them in its Alternative Enforcement Program.

"We’re looking for buildings that are high users of our enforcement activity," said Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Special Enforcement at HPD Grace DeFina.

The owners have four months to correct all of the heat and hot water violations and 80 percent of immediately hazardous issues.

"If building owners don’t comply, they’re subject to many fees. So one fee that owners if they don't get discharged in the first four months they’re subject to $1000 per dwelling unit initial inspection fee," DeFina said.

The goal of the Alternative Enforcement Program is for the buildings to improve and get off the list.  In more than a decade (12th year) about 70 percent of the buildings have succeeded in escaping this enhanced scrutiny.  

Here’s the data from HPD:

As of January 31, 2018, 2,137 buildings with 26,695 units have gone through at least 12 months of AEP. As of that date:

  • 490 buildings with 4,662 units were still active in AEP
  • 1,647 buildings with 22,033 units were discharged from AEP
  • HPD has spent over $42.7 million on repairs, utilities and system replacement work, which has been billed to the properties through DOF
  • Approximately $88 million has been collected in emergency repair and AEP charges and fees

Soleyda Mimaya lives in 3661 Broadway.

"I’m like happy," she said.

HPD says her building is getting out of the AEP program. It made last year's list with 420 violations. The landlord sold the building, which is not uncommon, and the new owner took corrective action to get off the worst building list.

"We’re monitoring the new managing agent and the new landlord's repairs," DeFina said.

"It’s more comfortable. Just having somebody to come every day to paint the house and do something and now I can see the result," Mimaya said.

A result tenants at 1967 Marmion Avenue are longing for.