CVH MEMBERS DEMAND NEW BOILER AFTER ELDERLY NEIGHBOR FOUND DEAD IN FREEZING HARLEM NYCHA APARTMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 19, 2026

CVH MEMBERS DEMAND NEW BOILER AFTER ELDERLY NEIGHBOR FOUND DEAD IN FREEZING HARLEM NYCHA APARTMENT 

Community Voices Heard and UPACA 6 Residents Demand Immediate Repairs and Accountability from NYCHA and C&C Apartment Management 

Contact: Zoë Johnson, Communications Manager, Community Voices Heard 541-908-4387 | zoe@cvhaction.org

Photos available here. Credit: Community Voices Heard

NEW YORK, NY – Residents of UPACA 6, a senior NYCHA building at 1940 Lexington Avenue in East Harlem, held a press conference today again calling for immediate action following the death of Leslie Zellars, a senior citizen found dead in her apartment this February, huddled in blankets on one of the coldest days of the year. Residents, family members, and members of Community Voices Heard (CVH) gathered to demand accountability from NYCHA, C&C Apartment Management, and elected officials after years of heating failures.

Leslie was discovered by her neighbor, Daisy Lopez, who had been conducting wellness checks on residents throughout the building after growing concerns about the cold. When Lopez arrived at Leslie's apartment on Saturday, she found Leslie on the floor wrapped in blankets. The cause of death was Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease; we know that cold temperatures exacerbate cardiovascular conditions, and no senior should be without consistent heat. 

UPACA 6 has been without dependable heat for years. The building was converted from public housing to the PACT program in December and is now managed by C&C Apartment Management. Despite repeated complaints, advocacy, and media coverage from outlets including PIX11 and Epicenter, NYCHA has consistently delayed replacing the building's aging boiler. In late 2024, residents met with Council Member Salaam, NYCHA Vice President Brian Honan, and NYCHA Executive Vice President Keith Grossman – those meetings produced only temporary fixes, not lasting solutions.

Maria Pacheco, the UPACA 6 Tenant Association President who has led the fight for repairs, described years of compounding neglect. "Heat is not the only issue. We have mold, broken elevators, burst pipes causing flooding, windows that need replacing," Pacheco said. Just two weeks before Leslie's death, a pipe burst on the 10th floor, flooding apartments throughout the building, including the unit directly above where Leslie lived.

“My neighbors and I spent hours bailing water out of our apartments,” said CVH Member and UPACA 6 tenant Lourdes Belis. “It's affecting my lungs, and I'm getting dizzy and have headaches. The doctor told me I can't continue living there.”

Byron Reid, Leslie's nephew, spoke about his aunt and what her death means. "I was enraged at the way she died. Not her death because she lived to be 83 years young, which is a blessing. But the way she died hurts so much. It almost reminds me of a dog that was thrown away. I was told that she was found covered with 4 to 5 blankets trying to get warm,” he said. “She should not have died seeking heat. Heat should be in abundance at a senior building.”

"Public housing is a precious resource that must be cared for and invested in so that it will last not just for our lifetime but in perpetuity,” said State Senator Cordell Cleare. “I am heartbroken to hear of the multiple breakdowns in basic habitability at UPACA 6 and I call for immediate intervention and swift remediation by NYCHA and all involved private management.  Housing is a human right and the residents of UPACA 6 deserve far better than this!"

"Ms. Zellar should still be here today, aging in place in the East Harlem community she called home. We have failed to meaningfully invest in NYCHA and create a plan to secure the more than $78 billion needed to fully renovate the portfolio," said Council Member Crystal Hudson. "NYCHA must immediately make repairs to UPACA 6 - including replacing the boiler and repairing water damage, leaks, electrical issues, and more - and provide the social services the building's older adults need. And I call on my fellow lawmakers to work to create a viable plan to get NYCHA the tens of billions it needs to ensure every New Yorker has a safe home."

CVH members and UPACA 6 residents are demanding the following immediate actions:

• Fully fix the boiler before summer

• Make all the repairs in the building: water damage, leaks, electrical issues, roof, floors, mold

• Provide social services in the building

“We need immediate repairs,” Belis said. "NYCHA and C&C need to take responsibility and resolve all of this.”

About Community Voices Heard: Community Voices Heard (CVH) is a Black and brown-led, power-building organization committed to fighting for dignity for people with low incomes and all New Yorkers. Guided by members, we center women’s voices and create unity to win financial security, a fully participatory democracy, and truly affordable homes for every New Yorker. CVH leads community organizing across the state because we will only achieve an equitable New York when we organize and fight together.