The landlord of a New York apartment says he bricked up most of the building's windows for security, but the remaining tenants say it's to drive them out.

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The only windows in the eight-apartment Brooklyn building that remain open are those in Migdalia Barreto's residence, where she lives with her daughter and mother, the New York Daily News said Wednesday. They maintain landlord Mark Scheiner is trying to drive them out to make way for a luxury conversion.

Not so, Scheiner said, "It's secured to protect the tenant in the building," the Post said. The city Building Department fined him for not having a permit for the masonry job.

Barreto said problems began in August when her hot water was turned off. Now police stop by because they think squatters occupy the building, the Daily News said.

Barreto said Scheiner bought out the building's other tenants last year, the Daily News said. She said she turned down an offer of $30,000 to leave.

Scheiner won't say what he plans are for the 76-year-old building once it is renovated, the newspaper said.