Dorian Solomon, a resident of East Harlem, New York, is experiencing severe disruption from the commercial laundromat located directly below her apartment, citing persistent noise, vibrations, and fumes that she claims are making her studio apartment unlivable. Solomon, who moved into the apartment last fall, stated that the vibrations are a low-frequency hum that penetrates earplugs and white noise machines, while the boiler operates noisily around the clock. She reported feeling exhausted, distressed, and emotionally drained, often walking outside for hours to escape the conditions.
Solomon has filed multiple complaints with various city agencies, including the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Department of Buildings (DOB), and initially sued her landlord, Akari Equities. The landlord’s attorney stated that the landlord has not refused to correct violations and is willing to do so, but also contested the accuracy of any reported violations and noted that other residents had not complained. The attorney also claimed Solomon did not grant access for inspections. Solomon withdrew her lawsuit, finding that housing court typically handles maintenance issues like leaks or lack of heat, not the specific nuisances she is experiencing. She has also struggled to obtain legal aid, as free services prioritize eviction cases.
Records indicate the building's certificate of occupancy allows for a tenant laundry room and an eating and drinking establishment on the ground floor. However, the space currently operates as a laundromat under a "letter of no objection" from the DOB, which permits its conversion. The DOB spokesman stated that the agency has inspected the property multiple times in response to complaints but has not observed the alleged shaking or vibration. A violation initially issued for the laundromat was later deemed to be in error by DOB attorneys. Modern building code requirements for sound transmission are not retroactive, meaning existing buildings are not required to comply.
Prior to Solomon's complaints, other residents had also lodged grievances about Miss Bubble laundromat, with one neighbor reporting "toxic dust" and another citing "air quality... so bad that it is affecting my love one causing asthma and other health issue." Solomon expressed frustration with the Department of Environmental Protection's response to her concerns about noise and air quality. An inspection was scheduled, but Solomon stated she missed the inspector's call and voicemail because no callback number was provided. She believes the morning of the inspection was unusually quiet, suggesting management may have been alerted in advance.
Andrew Scherer, a professor at New York Law School and an expert in landlord-tenant law, described the system as "wholly inadequate," noting that city agencies are often inactive without code violations and lack proactive enforcement. He stated that resolving such issues can require significant effort from tenants, and the system lacks automatic resolutions for these types of problems. Solomon, who is in the apartment through a city housing assistance program after exiting the shelter system, is seeking stable housing. Her landlord has offered a penalty-free lease break, but finding a new apartment that accepts rental assistance and meets her standards for habitability remains a challenge, as she stated, "I cannot resolve a health crisis by relocating into another one."