The sanctity of home has been shattered for residents of an exclusive apartment building, where owners are suing a tenant for over $2 million in damages, seeking her eviction over alleged ongoing harassment and abuse.
East 77 owners on New Yorks Upper East Side have lodged a complaint against Layla Al-Marzooqi, an artist residing in a unit at 436 E. 77th St., after a series of disturbing incidents.
Court documents filed in the New York State Supreme Court detail claims of Ms Al-Marzooqi verbally accosting neighbours in hallways and on the footpath, screaming inside her flat for hours, harassing the building superintendent, and posting a threatening sign on her front door.
MORE NEWS
Couple sues neighbour over ‘toxic’ tiny house stench
Single mum fights power giant for her home
Pensioner, 81, vows to fight to save her Aussie home
Matthew Goodman, managing agent with Eric Goodman Realty, told The Post that while Ms Al-Marzooqi was “a little difficult” to deal with previously, “something flipped” in April.
“It just kept escalating. We were hoping it was a random incident and it would stop. It has been absolute chaos,” Mr Goodman stated, adding that he represents the property’s owners, a family.
Layla Al-Marzooqi has been agitating her neighbours, a lawsuit claims. @VonNachtblau/Facebook
Ms Al-Marzooqi, who did not respond to requests for comment, had been a tenant since 2022, initially in a studio unit at an adjoining building.
Mr Goodman said he had no issues upgrading her to a one-bedroom unit in November 2024 at No. 436, where her rent commenced at $4000 (US$3000) per month, as she was “never rude or threatening” at that time.
However, the situation reportedly deteriorated sharply.
On April 12, Ms Al-Marzooqi allegedly “directed a stream of obscenities at a neighbouring tenant in the hallway,” according to the lawsuit.
Al-Marzooqi allegedly posted a threatening placard on her front door.
That neighbour recounted to The Post: “She cursed me out in the hallway for no apparent reason other than my girlfriend’s dog was over and she hates dogs.”
The neighbour further detailed an incident where Ms Al-Marzooqi screamed for an entire day, prompting a police welfare check.
After the police left, Ms Al-Marzooqi allegedly posted on Facebook, identifying the neighbour’s unit number and telling them “to die.”
“From then on, I started noticing her all day screaming. And she had been screaming at people walking their dogs down the street, and just in general,” the neighbour added.
Another tenant reported to management that four hours of Ms Al-Marzooqi’s incessant screaming made it impossible to “hear her own television,” left her “unable to think,” and caused her to become “frightened,” as per court documents.
Neighbours say that Al-Marzooqi has been hurling slurs inside and in front of the building. @VonNachtblau/Facebook
Adding to the alarming behaviour, Ms Al-Marzooqi allegedly affixed a sign to her door in April that read, “DEATH To you beyond below around above this Apartment Space,” visible to all passing through the common hallway.
Court documents also reveal Ms Al-Marzooqi allegedly posted racist and homophobic comments on a public Facebook page, identifying and tagging the plaintiffs “by name and association” and accusing them of criminality.
She also reportedly posted artwork depicting a swastika alongside the Star of David, set against an American flag.
According to court documents, she posted art and verbiage that upset her neighbors. @VonNachtblau/Facebook
The lawsuit claims Ms Al-Marzooqi’s conduct has scared off prospective tenants, and existing residents have sought to break their leases due to her actions.
Tenants have expressed fears for their safety, submitting numerous written complaints to management.
The building terminated Ms Al-Marzooqi’s lease, effective May 14, on the grounds that her “conduct constitutes a nuisance.”
However, Mr Goodman confirmed she has not yet vacated the premises.
English (US) · 