When Ben Roberts was looking for an affordable place to move into in New York City over a decade ago, he got lucky. He found a Craigslist advertisement for a three-bedroom loft unit located at 538 Johnson Ave. on the cusp of East Williamsburg and Bushwick.

The unit occupied a run-down brick loft building in an area that was heavily occupied by manufacturing properties and warehouses. But the young filmmaker didn’t mind the rough surroundings; the rent was cheap, the unit was spacious, and it was a convenient location—all the things on Roberts’ checklist. So he put down a payment for the place and moved in. Now, Roberts is one of more than 70 tenants in the building who are battling eviction.

Loft buildings refers to any non-residential buildings that have been converted into unsanctioned living residences for tenants. The one at 538 Johnson Ave. has four floors: the first and third floors were saved for commercial businesses, while the second and fourth floors are occupied by individual residents.