NY1 For You: Tenants Relieved Over Bathroom Situation

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After three years of living without bathrooms, some renters in Washington Heights are finally getting some relief. NY1's Susan Jhun filed the following "NY1 For You" follow-up report.

Manhattan resident Gladys Salva says she's happy to have a bathroom back after more than three years without one.

Last March, NY1 met with Gladys Salva and her daughter, Tina, who is blind and suffers from Cerebral Paulsey. At the time, the mother and daughter lived in one of five apartments in their Washington Heights building where tenants' toilets, showers and even bathroom walls were torn out. It left them no choice but to use bathrooms in vacant unlocked apartments throughout the building.

"We have to put her on the wheelchair at six o’clock in the morning, when she wakes up wet to bring her out to the cold hall to go to a vacated apartment," says Salva.

The tenants had been in court for five years with their landlord, Dorothea Levine, who refused to give NY1 a comment. After NY1 For You's last story aired a New York City Housing Court judge appointed an administrator to run the property and now Salva and her daughter finally have a bathroom.

"We are happy. Really, very happy that we have a bathroom because now winter is coming and we are thankful to channel one," says Salva.

But as relieved as Salva is to have a bathroom back, she's concerned since the bathtub doesn't fit the disabled seat for her daughter.

City Human Rights Law requires that landlords must provide a reasonable accommodation to their disabled tenants, unless it's financially or architecturally impossible.

NY1 contacted The Human Rights Commission and it's looking into the matter.

The station has also called the administrator for the building and are waiting to hear back.

"NY1 For You" will continue to follow the story.