A group of Washington Heights tenants and housing advocates are calling for immediate repairs and better security to their building on West 172nd Street. Their demands are an escalation after feeling ignored for the last several months.
The building is owned by L.C.S. Enterprises Inc., a company run by George and Tony Huang, according to city tax records. In February 2026, tenants claim there were issues with heat and hot water outages, rat and roach infestations, broken entrance doors linked to package theft and security concerns, poor sanitation, and no reliable way to communicate with building management. They said they formally delivered a letter of demands to ownership and complained to 311, but haven’t seen any movement yet.
“Housing is more than shelter. It is the foundation from which families rest, heal, dream, and build their lives,” said Senator Robert Jackson in a statement. “When tenants raise urgent concerns about unsafe conditions and are met with neglect instead of accountability and silence instead of solutions, the social contract is broken.”
Maritza Melendez, who’s lived in the building for 50 years, said the building has deteriorated over time.
“I would want to see my building return to what it once was. I want to feel proud that I live here and not afraid of bringing my friends over. What we ask for is not impossible. We just need the landlord to care,” said Melendez at the press conference on May 11. “I, myself, had three rats in my apartment. Two died, and I had to personally remove them.”
Dior Fall, 25, recently moved into her three-bedroom apartment in February with her sister and mother from Virginia. She paid first, last month’s rent, and a security deposit. Repairs that were supposed to be made before they moved in haven’t been made yet. She still pays about $2,900 monthly out of fear of eviction or ruined credit. Her kitchen ceiling was leaking and shoddily patched up with “tape.” She started documenting issues over the course of several and reached out to management directly, requesting a rent adjustment. Fall joined with other tenants in the building to demand changes be made.
“It’s frustrating when you’re reaching out and they say to contact the super,” said Fall.
Darius Khalil Gordon, executive director for the Met Council on Housing, added in a statement that, “The situation at 725 W 172nd Street is truly distressing and reflects a serious neglect of landlord responsibilities. Tenants have been enduring uncomfortable living conditions without reliable heat or hot water, facing troubling infestations and genuine security worries. It’s disheartening that management has remained unresponsive, leaving residents feeling unheard and vulnerable.”
Nicole Krishtul, from the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, spoke briefly at the press conference. She said that the building had a history with open violations and litigation going back to 2023.
“The city won’t stop using all the tools at its disposal, as we can in this building because tenants deserve to live in dignity. They deserve accountability for repairs in their homes. And the city will continue to be a partner to this tenant association until all tenants of this building get the basic living conditions that they deserve,” said Krishtul.
