Kemar Lafayette is a Brooklyn landlord who owns a multi-level home in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood. Lafayette has been stuck in the same nightmare since 2021, where an unamed tenant has been giving him the runaround on paying — essentially squatting — racking up $60,000 in unpaid rent.
While Lafayette has tried to get her evicted, he seems to keep running into roadblocks.
"I’m trying to do the right thing, trying to go to the right channel, like within the law. But I’m getting no result," he told News 12 New York.
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The situation has generated a lot of stress for Lafayette and his family — expecially his mother, who lives in the ground-floor unit of the building.
“She’s just doing the most outrageous things,” Lafayette says, referring to security camera footage showing the tenant smoking indoors, removing posted signs, leaving the front door wide open, and even lifting floorboards — which Lafayette says led to water damage in his mother’s apartment.
As the legal process drags on, Lafayette has been forced to cover the mortgage out of pocket, leaving him in financial distress. Although he finally has a court date on the horizon, he’s not hopeful.
"My mortgage is crazy. I can’t go to the bank and tell the bank I can’t pay the mortgage. This for three years? It’s rough."
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How to avoid the same fate
In New York City, landlord-tenant law is a technical dance where both parties have tools at their disposal to get the outcome they’re looking for — or in the tenant’s case, delay eviction.
One of the most common reasons why evictions can take too long or settle on unfavorable terms is because the landlord didn’t follow the lease terms and the technicalities of law, according to law firm Blodnick Fazio & Clark.
To avoid this, landlords should:
Start with a strong lease agreement: Include clear terms for late payments, violations, and termination.
Act fast: Don’t let a missed payment slide. Send default notices right away and document everything.
Understand the local process: In New York, landlords need a court order from the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) to evict a tenant — and the entire process can take months. The same is true in many other states.
It also helps to follow Lafayette’s example and install security cameras. If things go sideways, footage can help establish a pattern of behavior and support your case in court.
Lafayette’s ordeal has racked up thousands of views on News 12’s YouTube channel. One of the the top commenters wrote: "This is insane. I wouldn’t even be able to sleep at night knowing I didn’t pay rent. The entitlement is crazy."
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
