BRONX, NY — Residents of 2440 Walton Ave. in the Fordham section of the Bronx are asking a judge to step in and take control of their building after months of damage, displacement and what they describe as repeated repair failures. The property is already under a partial vacate order, and tenants say conditions have remained unsafe after water damage last year and a fire on April 27.
At a rally outside the building, tenants described missing ceilings, broken walls and damaged floors inside apartments that have still not been fully restored. One resident said she has been living in a shelter because of the situation. Tenants and their attorneys say the building now has more than 100 housing code violations, including mold, flooding and live hanging wires.
Tenants say damage from water and fire has not been fixed
Residents say the building’s problems began with water damage last year and worsened after the April 27 fire. Photos taken inside several apartments show the scale of the damage, with exposed areas where ceilings should be and worn, unstable-looking surfaces throughout the units. Tenants say the property has not been fully repaired even though the problems have lingered for months.
Advocates said six units have been vacated because the conditions were so serious that families could not stay in them. The partial vacate order already in place reflects the severity of the building’s condition, but tenants say that alone has not solved the larger problem of getting safe, livable apartments back in use.
For the people still trying to manage day-to-day life, the damage has meant moving between temporary living arrangements, gathering medicine and clothing, and waiting for basic repairs that they believe should have been completed long ago.
A longtime tenant says life in the building has deteriorated since 2019
Diana Rodriguez, who has lived at the property for 25 years, said conditions became much worse after Bradley and Ryan Zar of Point 2440 Realty LLC took over the building seven years ago. She said problems have gone unresolved since 2019 and described a long pattern of delays, minimal repairs and what she sees as dismissive treatment from management.
Rodriguez showed reporters her fire-damaged apartment and said rats have been getting into belongings and food. She said the building is not only physically damaged but also difficult to live in because the basic conditions remain unsettled. Her account reflects the larger frustration shared by many tenants who say they have kept paying rent even while living with severe damage.
Although her unit is under a vacate order, Rodriguez said she divides her time between her two daughters’ homes and returns to the apartment only to pick up medication and clothing. She said she wants to come back once repairs are finally completed.
More than 100 housing code violations are at the center of the lawsuit
According to the lawsuit filed by tenants, the building has more than 100 housing code violations. The complaints listed include mold, flooding and live hanging wires, all of which point to a property that residents say has not been kept in safe condition.
The legal effort is being led by the New York Legal Assistance Group, which filed a petition in June on behalf of 10 households. The tenants are asking the court to appoint a third-party administrator to handle day-to-day management of the building, removing that responsibility from the current owners if necessary.
That request is a major step. Instead of asking only for repairs, the tenants are seeking court oversight of the building’s operations, a sign that they no longer trust the owners to correct the problems on their own.
Landlord response remains limited as tenants press for accountability
Eyewitness News reporter Chantee Lans said she contacted Bradley and Ryan Zar of Point 2440 Realty LLC. One of the owners referred questions to their attorney, and no detailed response from the owners was included in the coverage of the rally.
The tenants’ complaints focus not just on the physical damage but also on the length of time it has taken to get repairs done. Residents say the building has been difficult to live in for years, and the current dispute centers on whether the owners can or will bring it back into acceptable condition.
For tenants who have been displaced, continued delay adds another layer of uncertainty. The lawsuit and petition suggest they believe outside oversight is now the only way to force meaningful repairs and get the building stabilized.
Bronx leaders join the call for a third-party administrator
Community advocates and elected officials joined the tenants at the rally, including Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. Their presence added public pressure to a dispute that residents say has already dragged on too long and left several households without normal housing.
Gibson said management should be held responsible for making the repairs and that the courts should act if the owners do not. Her comments echoed the tenants’ request for the court to intervene through a third-party administrator and push the building toward a safer condition.
The tenants and landlords are scheduled to return to Bronx Housing Court next Tuesday. At that hearing, tenants and their attorneys plan to request a trial date as they continue seeking a formal path toward court-supervised control of the property.
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