Fort Greene Has Eleven Of City’s Worst Landlords, Says Public Advocate
Last week, 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 Fort Greene area has at least 11 property owners who have made the Public Advocate’s worst 100 list this year. One of those landlords, Hillel Weinberger, has five local buildings that were tagged by James’ office because of illegal and/or unsafe conditions.
According to the Public Advocate, Weinberger also owns a residential building on Marcy Avenue and one on Nostrand Avenue. In total, he owns 71 units of housing, and has been issued 351 HPD violations and 18 DOB violations. We were unable to locate Weinberger for comment.
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.
Fort Greene area landlords and buildings:
Eleven landlords in our area made the Public Advocate’s worst-100 list.
#10) ISKYO ARONOV — 6 Spencer Place
#15) JONATHAN COHEN — 167 Waverly Avenue
#21) MEIR FRIED — 66 Steuben Street
#26) MOSHE DEUTSCH — 441 Franklin Avenue
#35) NAZILA BARDI — 65 South Portland Avenue & 405 Clermont Avenue
#63) JAIR GUTIERREZ — 500 Clinton Avenue
#70) DAVID GREEN — 88 Clinton Avenue
#79) FELICIA COLON — 100 Franklin Avenue & 868 Bedford Avenue
#80) ABE GREEN — 81 Carlton Avenue
#84) HILLEL WEINBERGER — 71 Grand Avenue, 198 Hall Street, 352 Lafayette Avenue, 356 Lafayette Avenue, 463 Lafayette Avenue
#95) MENDEL GOLD — 1183 Fulton Street
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.