'Sometimes it pours in my house' says one of dozens of tenants suing a Brooklyn landlord for neglect and badly needed repairs. They say Section 8 vouchers cut off over 'deplorable conditions'

“How can you ask for rent under these deplorable conditions?” one tenant said in an interview with CBS News New York.

Even if the landlord agrees to repairs, tenants are still worried about losing their apartments in the process.

So what exactly is happening that the tenants are reacting this way, and what is their landlord doing about it?

What is the landlord being sued for?

CBS reports that tenants say their apartments at the Red Hook Gardens complex have had issues for years. Among them are trash buildup, rat and cockroach infestations, and leaks.

Lori Jones, one of the residents, said that “when it rains, sometimes it pours in my house” and “somebody gotta climb out the window to let us out the house,” referring to getting stuck in her apartment because of a broken lock on her front door.

In addition to the front door, CBS reporters noted that Jones’ upstairs bathroom door was also not secure, and that mold could be seen in multiple locations of her apartment during their tour.

Tenants say the lack of repairs as well as redevelopment plans by Carroll Gardens Association, the nonprofit that manages the complex, have resulted in them losing their Section 8 vouchers. Also known as housing choice vouchers, this government program is administered by public housing agencies and offers financial assistance for the elderly, people with disabilities and very low-income families to help pay for housing.

Without this assistance, tenants like the ones living in Red Hook Gardens could struggle financially.

Johnny Rivera, the tenant organizer from Brooklyn Legal Service Corp A, the organization currently representing the tenants, says the best solution is to make emergency repairs and put it in writing that tenants are guaranteed a place when they return.

In an official statement sent to CBS News New York, a representative from Carroll Gardens Association, the official landlord, says that it will be identifying repairs and creating an action plan to address them, as well as prioritizing the restoration of tenants' Section 8 vouchers.

The statement also says, “As part of the Red Hook Gardens redevelopment, which will bring 300 units of 100% affordable housing to Red Hook, all current residents are given a written document of their legal right to return upon completion.”

What legal protections do tenants have in New York City?

The New York City Tenant Bill of Rights outlines the basic rights all tenants have, including additional rights for those living in rent-stabilized units.