NEW YORK - After a long, drawn out battle, some tenants on the Lower East Side are finally back in their apartments.

Residents of 85 Bowery returned home Thursday, eight months after they were forced to leave.

The tenants had been living in hotels since January.

That's when the Buildings Department issued an evacuation order because of an unstable stairway.

But tenants accused their landlord of trying to get them to leave their rent-stabilized units after they refused buyouts.

Now they say they feel vindicated.

"I feel very happy. We finally got the key this afternoon and  feel very thankful. I was worried we   wouldn't be able to go home but all the tenants were very united," said one resident.

The landlord says the stairway and floor joists were all replaced, and new appliances were installed in each apartment.