File Photo by Paul Frangipane
Jan. 31, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
State Sen. Mike Gianaris and Assembly Member Claire Valdez have introduced legislation aimed at ensuring fire victims in New York State have access to housing following their displacement.
The bill is inspired by the ongoing plight of tenants displaced by a five-alarm fire at 43-09 47th Ave. in Sunnyside, which broke out on Dec. 20, 2023. The blaze was caused by a contractor hired by building landlords A&E Real Estate, who illegally used a blowtorch, sparking flames that tore through the six-story building and displaced approximately 250 residents.
More than a year later, residents remain unable to return to their homes, highlighting what Gianaris and Valdez describe as a widespread struggle for tenants forced to find housing after disasters.
Legislation details
The proposed legislation would require property owners to provide suitable accommodations to any tenant evicted or forced to vacate due to fire. If the property owner is found negligent or responsible for causing the fire, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) would be authorized to refer tenants to alternative accommodations. The owner would then be financially responsible for covering the tenant’s rent if the tenant accepts the proposed housing.
The owner would remain liable for rent payments at the alternative housing until the HPD Commissioner determines that the tenant’s original residence has been sufficiently repaired and is habitable.
Gianaris emphasized his commitment to working with displaced families to hold negligent landlords accountable.
“I am heartbroken for residents who, having already experienced the trauma of a fire, further suffer due to their displacement,” Gianaris said in a statement.
Valdez called the legislation a critical step toward justice for those affected by the Sunnyside fire.
“Hundreds of neighbors in Sunnyside are still paying the price a year later for their landlord’s negligence. We can’t let landlords escape consequences any longer while leaving tenants holding the bag to scrape their lives back together,” Valdez said in a statement.
Continued efforts to support displaced residents
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced in December that 13 Sunnyside households displaced by the fire have been granted an additional six-month extension for temporary housing agreements.
Initially, in the months following the fire, 30 affected households accepted a six-month temporary housing agreement from A&E Real Estate, which placed them in other properties owned by the firm. As these agreements expired in early July, Richards secured a second round of extensions, which ran through Jan. 15, 2025.
Now, Richards and A&E have confirmed a third round of extensions for 13 of the displaced households, allowing them to stay in temporary accommodations until July 15, 2025.
Red Cross response to recent fires
Meanwhile, the American Red Cross in Greater New York has been actively assisting fire victims across the city. Between Jan. 20 and Jan. 27, the organization provided emergency aid to 196 people affected by 32 emergencies across the five boroughs.
The New York Disaster Action Team deployed by the Red Cross has been offering temporary lodging, financial assistance, cleanup kits, comfort kits with personal care items, snacks, water, and guidance on recovery resources to impacted families.
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