NYC's 2024 Worst Landlord Watchlist released by city's public advocate
NEW YORK — The New York City public advocate's office is out with their annual watchlist of the worst landlords in the city.
The list released Wednesday names the 100 worst landlords based on the number of open Department of Housing Preservation and Development violations from November 2023 to October 2024.
Topping the list with the most violations were:
- Barry Singer, with an average of 1,804 open HPD violations across seven buildings
- Alfred Thompson, with an average of 1,285 open HPD violations across 15 buildings
- Karen Geer, with an average of 1,193 open HPD violations across seven buildings
- Melanie Martin, with an average of 1,132 open HPD violations across four buildings
- Claudette Henry, with an average of 1,130 open HPD violations across 15 buildings
According to New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Martin is representing Daniel Ohebshalom.
"Daniel Ohebshalom was number one last year. He's been on the list for a while. He's been arrested twice," Williams said.
Williams says some of the worst landlords try to hide, often using LLCs to go incognito. For example, Ohebshalom was represented on the 2023 Worst Landlords Watchlist by Johnathan Santana.
The public advocate also says while not included on the list, "perpetual mismanagement of NYCHA and its inability to keep the heat on" makes the city "the worst overall landlord."
Williams hopes the list posted online for all to see helps tenants organize and prospective tenants make more informed choices.
The full list of landlords, along with the buildings on the 2024 watchlist, can be found at landlordwatchlist.com.
Tenants describe "dangerous conditions" under landlord
Bianca Lama says her Washington Heights building used to be a great place to live until Ohebshalom bought it.
"This landlord, we've been through a lot of dangerous situations. No heat, no hot water," she said. "The boiler exploding in the middle of the night."
Her mother, Olga, says they deserve to live like human beings.
"We get scared, we get sick because we not secure for our health," Olga Lama said.
About 50% of the units in the building sit unoccupied, and many are wide open for anyone to enter. The conditions in one empty apartment were disgusting with bird droppings covering the floor and brown streaks dripping down the walls.
Williams toured the apartments and spoke to tenants, including the Lamas.
"They're left without a lot of recourse and that's the blame of government," Williams said. "The one thing they can do, which is organize."
