New York authorities evicted a Bronx storefront illegally converted into housing for dozens of tenants and run by the same person who ran another site that housed as many as 70 migrants at a Queens furniture store.
The city’s Department of Buildings said Thursday that the day before it responded to reports of an illegal conversion of a two-story commercial building in the Fordham neighborhood of the borough.
Inspectors found 45 beds crammed on the first level and in the basement of the building, along with extension cords, electric bikes, space heaters, stoves and other items that created a fire hazard, the agency said.
City officials ordered the eviction of the building due to “dangerous and life-threatening conditions,” which included severe overcrowding and lack of natural light and ventilation. The building owner was also charged with two violations for failure to maintain the building and for occupying the building in violation of city records.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management, which operates New York City’s migrant shelter system, also assisted the displaced tenants, the building department said.
The store is run by Ebou Sarr, who ran a similar shelter operation in Queens, which was shut down Tuesday.
City officials ordered the eviction of Sarr’s Wholesale Furniture store after discovering that the first-level retail space and basement had been converted into dormitories, with 14 bunk beds and 13 beds crammed on both levels and the capacity to house 41 people.
The man, a native of Senegal, told reporters Tuesday that he housed mostly male migrants from his West African country and charged them $300 a month because they could not afford housing once their term to stay in the city’s emergency migrant shelter system ended.
As of Thursday, no one had answered the phones regarding Sarr.