130 Families at 103-105 Hawkstone Street Have No Gas --- who will help?

103-105 Hawkstone Street

Bronx, N.Y. -- A few weeks ago, Mayor Bill deBlasio held an event/press conference in the Bronx, highlighting the Administration's initiative on affordable housing. The streets were closed off as the event was on the corner of Walton Ave and Hawkstone Street. 

Ironically, what the Mayor and his staffers were not aware of was that the residents of 103 and 105 Hawkstone have been without gas since mid-July. The landlord has said that it could take up to six months or longer and for tenants to buy electric stoves. Now imagine a family with 2, 3 or 4 children. How many hours will it take to prepare the food on those electric stoves? 

I have family and friends who live there so I took it upon myself to report it to the Buildings Department via its Twitter page. I also included local elected officials, the Bronx Borough President and Councilman Fernando Cabrera. However, the Buildings Dept were the only ones to reply. Their response was the following: 

Now, we are waiting for a response from NYC HPD and see what they actually do for the 130 families who are living as if we were living in a remote place of a third world country. 

UPDATE (Saturday, August 18, 2018): After nearly a month a half without gas, there was some good news for the tenants of 103-105 Hawkstone. On Friday, they found these posts on the hallway informing them that they gas will be turned on on Tuesday, August 21st.  

I must also thank the Office of the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. who upon being informed of this situation, immediately placed calls to different agencies to make sure that the situation was fixed as soon as possible.