Slumlords should not be in charge of housing policy. On January 9th, a faulty space heater sparked a fire that raged through an affordable housing complex in the West Bronx, killing 17 people, including 8 children, and injuring over 60 people. The apartment complex was home to a large community of Black and Brown New Yorkers, including West African migrants, many of whom were victims of the fire. And the owner of the building? Hot-shot developer Rick Gropper, who sits on New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ transition team for housing issues.

This fire was preventable. New York City law states that landlords must maintain their rental properties at safe and healthy temperatures. For months before this tragedy, tenants submitted complaints regarding a lack of heat inside the building and a door that did not close properly. The complaints were ignored. Had Gropper addressed these maintenance issues according to New York City law, the malfunctioning space heater would not have been necessary, and the self-closing door would have worked to prevent the spread of the fire. Most importantly, these people would still be alive and unharmed. Gropper’s inaction, which caused the worst fire in New York City in three decades, proves that he is unfit to act as a public official on housing issues.

Black people deserve affordable and safe housing. Black people make up almost half of the Bronx’s population, and the Bronx has an average poverty rate of 30% and the highest population of Black people compared to the other four NYC boroughs. Affordable housing is a necessity for the working families of New York City and is essential to economic mobility for Black families. Affordable housing should not mean cutting corners and forgoing safety measures just to save slumlords a few dollars. 

Gropper broke the law and his promises to his tenants, resulting in their deaths. He should not be a leading voice for housing issues on Mayor Adams’ transition team, and we demand his immediate removal.

Here is the Petition:

Mayor Eric Adams,

We are concerned about the inclusion of Rick Gropper on your transition team for housing issues and demand that you remove him immediately. Gropper owns Twin Parks North West, the apartment building in the Bronx where a preventable fire raged unimpeded that killed 17 people, including eight children, and injured over 60 people on January 9. Months before this tragedy, tenants submitted complaints regarding a lack of heat inside the building and a door that did not close properly. If Gropper had addressed these maintenance issues according to New York City law, the malfunctioning space heater would not have been necessary, and the self-closing door would have worked to prevent the spread of the fire. Most importantly, these people would still be alive and unharmed. Gropper’s inaction, which caused the worst fire seen in New York City in three decades, proves that he is unfit to serve as a public official on housing issues. 

As you stated in your campaign platform, affordable housing is a necessity for the working families of New York City and is essential to economic mobility for Black families. The Bronx is the third most densely populated county in the United States and has an average 30% poverty rate. Black people make up almost half of the Bronx’s population, and the Bronx has the highest population of Black people compared to the other four NYC boroughs. Residential fires have killed Black people at more than twice the rate of white people between 1999 and 2019, and the consistent tragedies and loss of life exemplify how the government fails to prevent safe housing for us all. We need the government to strictly enforce necessary safety measures for residential single-family, duplex, and apartment buildings, such as fire escapes, up-to-code sprinkler systems, and operational self-closing doors. 

During your campaign for mayor of NYC, one of your promises was to add more affordable housing to the city. Now, as the mayor, you must ensure that affordable housing is not only accessible but is also safe. Gropper broke the law and his promises to his tenants, resulting in their deaths. He should not be a leading voice for housing issues on your transition team, and we demand his immediate removal.