Tenants of La Mesa Verde apartments in Jackson Heights have filed lawsuits against A&E Real Estate, including a group action involving 75 residents. The lawsuits seek to require the landlord to perform repairs, citing issues such as rodent infestations and nonfunctional elevators.
According to Gothamist, A&E Real Estate manages nearly 180 buildings and approximately 16,000 apartments. The company states that it has addressed over 1,000 violations since 2016. Tenants, including Diana Gaviria Muñoz, have reported issues in their apartments involving black mold and rodent urine, leading her family to temporarily relocate while repairs are pursued.
The legal complaints also include allegations of harassment and systemic neglect, with residents requesting that the company address roughly 1,450 open code violations listed in city records. Elena Martínez, a 70-year-old tenant facing difficulty climbing six flights of stairs due to broken elevators, said, "My shoulders hurt and I can't sleep at night." An A&E Real Estate representative cited by Gothamist said that one of the two elevators is expected to be functional by Monday, while the other requires a $400,000 overhaul.
Tenants at 35-63 80th St. and nearby buildings have filed a lawsuit against A&E Real Estate, with Communities Resist representing the residents and citing alleged unsafe conditions. Some residents have been affected by non-operational elevators. Council Member Shekar Krishnan noted that the property manager has not responded to residents’ complaints and referenced 33 Class C violations, which are considered immediately hazardous, as reported by Audacy.
A spokesperson for A&E told Audacy that the company is committed to addressing elevator issues and has invested in infrastructure improvements. The spokesperson noted that significant funds have been used to resolve over 1,400 violations to date. The next hearing in Queens housing court, scheduled for early December, may determine the immediate actions A&E will be required to take regarding tenant living conditions.
