Long Island tenants decry squalid conditions as they’re forced to deal with ‘X-men’ bugs and wear masks in own homes

Tenants in a Long Island apartment building have exposed the terrible conditions of the building they live in, claiming that they have been left choking on mold and dealing with “X-men” mutant bugs after relentless water leaks have apparently caused severe damage to the building.

The president of the tenants’ union, Tina Shuford, gave a detailed explanation of the appalling conditions inside the apartment at 100 Terrace Ave. in Hempstead to the New York Post. She claimed that she hasn’t been able to use her kitchen in years and that she had no choice but to wear a mask and gloves in her own home on doctor’s orders due to the mold present in the property.

Shuford sued the building’s then alleged owner who she referred to as a “slum lord” before switching to the new owner with her lawsuit. She claims that the building conditions are illegal under New York State law and is demanding something be done about it.

The horrors of 100 Terrace Ave

Black mold is reportedly taking over the apartments inside the building due to regularly occurring pipe leaks which never seem to end. Shuford claims that there is also an infestation of giant roaches as well as other bugs which she describes as mutant “X-men.” What exactly an X-man bug looks like is unclear but it doesn’t exactly sound like something you’d want crawling around in your apartment.

Black mold is also very hazardous to human health which is another reason that the properties could be considered unfit for habitation.

On top of that, the building has a plethora of other issues which all serve to make things even worse for residents. According to the suit there is no heat or hot water in the winter months, the elevators are broken, often leaving tenants trapped, and the parking garage has fallen into such a state of disrepair that residents can no longer even use it.

Shuford first brought the lawsuit against developer Peter Florey in June of 2025 although he did not respond to the suit, nor did he attend hearings which almost led the judge to default judgement against him. However, before that occurred Florey sold the property Hudson Valley Property Group (HVPG) in December 2025 for $107 million.

Due to the sale of the building Shuford was forced to re-file the lawsuit against the new owners although they argue that they have nothing to do with the failure of the past owners. HVPG claims that it is planning a big renovation of the building expected to cost around $55,000 per unit, or $23 million overall. They have claimed that they are “committed to ensuring the property is safe.”