Tenants of a Nyack Housing Authority complex say they are being forced to live in squalid conditions.

Residents and community activists say the Housing Authority has allowed conditions to deteriorate in the Waldron Terrace complex at Highview Court. They also contend that the Housing Authority is making them pay for repairs to their own homes.

Rockland County Legislative Chair Tony Earle and Legislator Harriet Cornell were invited to visit the complex Wednesday, but admit the Legislature has no authority over it. However, they say they want to use their positions to draw attention to the tenants' complaints, and are urging the tenants to form a tenant's association so they can deal better with the Housing Authority. A meeting to organize the group is tentatively scheduled for April 8.

Housing Authority Director Toni Keyes says the Nyack Housing Authority does the best it can to maintain the units but that most of the problems are caused by tenants.

Housing Authority officials say that the only repairs that the tenants have to pay are for damages that they caused.