Sunset Park Has Three Of City’s Worst Landlords, Says Public Advocate Letitia James

Yesterday Public Advocate Letitia James released the latest interactive map of the 100 worst landlords in New York City and 20 worst buildings, based on data from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Department of Buildings (DOB).

The Watchlist, started by then-Public Advocate Bill de Blasio in 2010 and updated quarterly, is designed to hold the city’s worst landlords accountable and to empower tenants and advocates, according to James.

You can check out the most recent 2016 Landlords Watchlist by building and neighborhood on a map here, and the landlord list version here.

The Public Advocate’s office states that the Watchlist includes more details this year on DOB violations and Department of Finance (DOF) tax liens — which can be a sign of buildings in distress. The Advocate’s office visited at least one building owned by each of the 100 worst landlords to speak to tenants, take photos, and inspect conditions.

“The Landlord Watchlist has become a critical tool for helping tenants organize against unscrupulous landlords, has assisted with the criminal convictions of some of New York’s worst landlords, and has led to better living conditions for countless New Yorkers. We will never stop fighting for the housing rights of every New Yorker,” said Public Advocate James.

Sunset Park area landlords and buildings:

Three landlords in our area made the Public Advocate’s worst-100 list:

#36) Getz Obstfeld, who allegedly owns 366 58th Street.

According to the Public Advocate, Obstfeld owns 5 buildings with 163 units in total. Obstfeld has a total of 547 HPD violations and 5 DOB violations.

#65) Jair Gutierrez, who allegedly owns 4110 4th Avenue.

Gutierrez reportedly owns 8 buildings with 64 units in total. Gutierrez has a total of 393 HPD violations and 21 DOB violations.

#67) Moshe Mehlman, who allegedly owns 553 46th Street.

Mehlman reportedly owns 2 buildings with 34 units in total. The buildings appear to be right next to each other. Mehlman has a total of 411 HPD violations and 0 DOB violations.

Criteria and methodology:

According to the Public Advocate, for a landlord to be added to the Watchlist, they must own a building with a minimum number of HPD violations or open DOB complaints per unit. For buildings with fewer than 35 units, there must be an average of at least three open, serious violations or active complaints per unit. For larger buildings with 35 units or more, there must be an average of at least two open, serious violations or active complaints per unit.

For buildings to be eligible for the Watchlist, they must be multi-family rental buildings with three or more units. Co-ops and condominiums are excluded. Read more about the Watchlist methodology here.

“The landlords on the Worst Landlord Watchlist don’t usually make the list because of sloppy management practices or by accident,” said Benjamin Dulchin, Executive Director of Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, Inc. “They make the list because too often they have a strategy to intentionally push tenants out of their affordable apartments in order to drive the rents up quickly.”

However, in 2015 Crain’s New York noted that the Watchlist contained mistakes. For example, in 2014 the list included David Behin, who was upgrading a troubled building he had purchased through a state program. Behin appeared again in the 2015 Watchlist, and was subsequently removed after an inquiry from Crain’s, reports the business news outlet.

What Can Tenants Do?

To report bad building conditions, call 311, or visit the HPD website. If conditions don’t improve, contact the Public Advocate’s Office at GetHelp@pubadvocate.nyc.gov. Read more tenant FAQs here, and learn more about tenant associations on the Flatbush Tenant Coalition website.

Sarah Crean contributed reporting.