NEW YORK, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- A man living in a tent because officials deemed his New York City home unsafe said he can't pay more than $200,000 in Environmental Control Board fines.
In February, city officials forced Mircea Fersedy, 61, formerly a pharmacist, out of his six-apartment building because they said it was structurally unsafe, the New York Post reported Sunday. Fersedy says he spent a couple of months living in subways and airports before setting up the tent back on his own property.
Neighbors have complained Fersedy's property smells bad, and say he walks around his yard half naked and otherwise uses the property inappropriately, the newspaper said.
"It's disgusting and unsafe. I have two teenage nieces; what if he's out there in his underwear?" said Angela Mancuso, whose family owns the two houses next door.
Fersedy came to the United States from Romania in 1979. He shared the building with his wife, children and parents, and rented the remaining units.
He was divorced in 1982, lost contact with his children, and was left alone when his parents died. As his building deteriorated, he lost tenants.
Fersedy has diabetes and recently suffered a stroke and heart attack, but has refused social services, the newspaper said. He denies his property is as bad as portrayed.
"They tell despicable lies because they want my property ... . This is my home," he said. "I pay my taxes. I'm not doing anything to anyone."
