Quentin Mitchell:NYC officials clear another storefront illegally housing dozens of migrants in unsafe conditions

2025-05-02 21:02:41source:Quentin Mitchellcategory:Invest

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City officials have Quentin Mitchellcleared out a Bronx storefront illegally converted to house dozens of tenants that was run by the same person who operated one hosting as many as 70 migrants in a Queens furniture store.

The city Department of Buildings responded Wednesday to reports of an illegal conversion at a two-story commercial building in the borough’s Fordham neighborhood, WNBC reports.

Agency inspectors found 45 beds packed closely together on the first floor and basement of the building, along with extension cords, e-bikes, space heaters, hotplates and other fire hazards in the makeshift living quarters, the station reports.

City officials ordered the building vacated due to the “hazardous, life-threatening conditions” which included severe overcrowding and a lack of natural light and ventilation. The building’s landlord was also issued two violations for failure to maintain the building and for occupying the building contrary to city records.

READ MORE $1B donation makes New York medical school tuition free and transforms students’ livesOn live TV, Guardian Angels rough up a man in Times Square then misidentify him as a ‘migrant’14 workers, including some renovating a Yale building, hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning

The city’s Office of Emergency Management, which operates NYC’s migrant shelter system, is assisting displaced tenants, including referring people to asylum seeker services, according to WNBC.

The news station reports the storefront is run by Ebou Sarr, who operated a similar housing operation in Queens that was shut down Tuesday.

City officials ordered Sarr’s Wholesale Furniture vacated after finding the building’s first-floor commercial space and cellar had been converted into sleeping quarters, with 14 bunk beds and 13 beds tightly packed on both floors and able to fit about 41 people.

The native of Senegal had told reporters Tuesday that he was housing mostly migrant men from his West African nation and charging them $300 a month because they couldn’t afford a place to live after timing out of the city’s emergency shelter system for migrants.

No one answered phone numbers associated Sarr on Thursday and the city buildings department and emergency management office didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

More:Invest

Recommend

Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department and the city of Louisville have reached an agreem

Attorneys for Trump, Fani Willis spar at final hearing over removing district attorney from Trump Georgia case

Atlanta — Whether Fulton County District of Attorney Fani Willis should be removed from the Georgia

Confessions of a continuity cop

I was watching a screener of an upcoming TV show this week when I became distracted. The scene invol