Landlords Divided NYC Apartments Into Micro-Rooms: DOB

If you think your New York City apartment is small, it's nothing compared to these illegal micro-apartments in the Lower East Side.

The Department of Buildings say the landlords of 165 Henry Street subdivided an apartment on the first floor and another on the third floor into at least 18 tiny rooms without a permit. 

The Gothanmist reported that each of the apartments were being rented out for $600 a month.

Buildings Department spokesman Andrew Rudansky told the NY Post that the units had ceilings that are 4½-foot high. The apartments were divided horizontally, the report said.

The units resembles bed space apartments in the crowded city of Hong Kong where low-income residents live in tiny apartments that are merely a human size box where they sleep, Rudansky said.

Officials placed a stop work order on the building as well as a partial order to vacate after the FDNY reported illegal occupancy. At least 11 quality of life violations were issued against one landlord, Xue Ping Ni, on Aug. 14, according the the DOB.

NY Post reported that officials are still looking for Ni.

from NBC New York - Top Stories https://ift.tt/2TNGPuN