A Bronx landlord of a 15-story apartment building on Sedgwick Avenue was faced with a  class-action lawsuit today filed by 70 angry tenants.

Mario Milevoi, of 1849 Sedgwick Avenue, the Bronx, was accused by tenants of over 700 code violations since he first became the building’s landlord six years ago.

The tenants were represented by lawyers at the Urban Justice Center, who were at hand to discuss the code violations and show the run-down apartments to the press. A man identified by witnesses as the landlord was seen cleaning the front steps of the building. When asked about the accusations leveled against him, he said, “No comment.”

The Building s Department confirmed the violations.

The lawsuit is the first such lawsuit to be filed in the Bronx in three years, said organizers. The law states that at least a third of the tenants in an apartment building can call on a judge to appoint an independent administrator to take over the property from the landlord and make the necessary repairs. The administrator may borrow up to $20,000 from Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) per dwelling unit, or $100,000 for the building, before returning the building to the landlord.

Estelle Rollins, a member of the Morris Heights Tenants Association, cited some of the code violations Milevoi has accumulated over the years, such as rodent infestation, leaking pipes, and poor security. “It was too cold to stay in my apartment in the winter,” she declared. “The heating was originally included in the rent, but for some reason, that was taken away.” Tenants often complained of robberies happening in the building, Rollins said, and that previous petitions against the landlord were unsuccessful.

“This was once a beautiful property that has seen a great decline,” said Rollins. “The landlord plays the game of giving you a little heat, a little water, and then he stops.”