Former residents of the 128 Hester St. apartment building in Chinatown took to the streets on the 30th to protest the planned demolition of the building and demanding that the landlord provide them with reasonable compensation and lodging.

The protesters were joined by representatives of tenants' rights groups, and Community Board 3's District Manager Susan Stetzer also appeared on the scene to lend her support. Asian Americans for Equality, the advocacy group which organized the protest, is planning legal action against the landlord, as well as various other measures to fight for restitution for tenants.

In early September the building's management company had already received a court order requiring that the deteriorating apartment building be renovated within a short period of time. However, on the 25th the management company also received permission from the courts and the Buildings Department to demolish the entire building. Demolitions are underway at 128 Hester Street.

Before the destruction began, the Buildings Department and an independent engineering specialist suggested practical measures by which the building could be saved, said Christopher Kui, executive director of AAFE. But the landlord acted unilaterally, going through with the original plan to demolish this rent-stabilized building without considering other options.

"Doing this will not only be a blow to Chinatown's affordable housing, it also tramples heartlessly on tenants' basic right to survival," said Kui vehemently.

Government records reveal that the building already had many safety violations, said Kui. By going ahead with this plan, the landlord is willfully ignoring the law, brushing aside years' worth of citations for violations of the building code, the court order to renovate, and the City's regulations on landlords.

For 10 families to go homeless and several thriving small businesses to be stamped out, influencing the livelihoods of their employees, is something the Chinatown community cannot tolerate, Kui said.

In addition to taking legal action against the landlord of 128 Hester St., AAFE will demand that the developers, who own 128 Hester St. and the neighboring hotel, reach an agreement with the original tenants and provide reasonable compensation and lodgings; it will appeal to the insurance companies involved – noting the relationship between the developer of the hotel at 93-95 Bowery and 128 Hester's management company, and pointing out that the landlord intentionally allowed the building to fall into disrepair; and demand that banks and investors stop funding the irresponsible developers; and appeal to the New York State and New York City District Attorneys calls on them to undertake a thorough investigation of the landlord's motivations and all of their legal obligations.