Property owner fined $2M for violations at Brooklyn apartment building

A Brooklyn property owner was fined millions of dollars for not making repairs at an apartment building in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Records show hundreds of violations. CBS2's Alice Gainer spoke with tenants desperate to know when they'll have the basics like hot water, heat and gas.

[@nirvanabhagwandin6327]

Most of these lanlords are protected by the very people, who are suppose to enforce the laws. The system is corrupt and useless.

[@DamuRyde]

Exactly

[@illufe]

The government is on the tenants side if you read the housing laws.

[@nirvanabhagwandin6327]

@@illufe if you have corrupt officials running the system , the laws means nothing to the the tenants.

[@tym3116]

How about You add this...greed corrupt useless and greedy!...cause the last thing they going to expect are some big fat cash in their pockets!...💰💰💰...💵💵💵...🤑🤑🤑...💸💸💸...

[@ashishpatel350]

@@nirvanabhagwandin6327 lolz 😆. If they want things fixed they would pay fair market value for rent. These people are just trying to scam people

[@Famegonna9999]

SEND THESE LANDLORDS TO JAIL!!!!!!

[@kooganh6276]

Jail not an option anymore… gotta start dropping mfers smh… they don’t care if you live or die.

[@garfieldyates7405]

Yep smart landlords in jail is gonna help improve the homelessness in the city

[@wyzemann]

@W Perhaps allowing the landlords to charge rent in accordance with the market value of the property...not the government-mandated asking price may eventually alleviate this nightmare.

[@CindyBobe7]

They have violations and summonses and they still haven’t done anything. They’ve tried to pay us to leave and it’s been hell dealing with them. Please help us🙏🙏🙏

[@confusedcynic9073]

There offering to pay you to leave, why would you want to stay there?

[@Kia805]

@@confusedcynic9073 most likely because they can’t afford the price of rent anyplace else for years to come.

[@ctgal9698]

This owner is using constructive eviction against these unfortunate tenants. A lot of nice prewar buildings and brownstones in that neighborhood which is becoming gentrified. It's a ongoing battle they won't win eventually. Sadly they'll have to leave and look elsewhere to rent. The owner will file bankruptcy, make a quick sale over to another buyer that will terminate their leases in order to renovate the building for higher rents.

[@we8608]

And the owner will make a nice profit from the "bankruptcy" sale, because the person who will buy the property will be one of his family members...LLC bankruptcies don't financially impact the individuals personally, hence, the corporate veil. This is exactly how Trump stayed "rich" for so many decades.

[@bibihydarali494]

This is the comment I was looking for. That's Exactly what's happening there. This is a crooked strategic move my the landlord.

[@ctgal9698]

@@bibihydarali494 This has been going on in that neighborhood for sometime. The tenants never get to stay in their apartments. I saw it firsthand in Kings county housing court and it always ends in the landlords favor

[@ashishpatel350]

@@ctgal9698 the tenets don't pay market value rents hence their landlords lack of care. If they want things fixed they are going to have to pay or move to a place they can afford. Seems these tenets are bums

[@purplepeoplesparty2368]

Cities should have jurisdiction to take these from owners and get them up to code. If the owner wants to pay what it cost the city to bring it up to code then they may have the right to own the building.

[@HateTheIRS]

@Kevin yep

[@ashishpatel350]

It's NYC landlords don't have rights

[@dianegreen1937]

They get away with this because the owners, lawyers and Judges are friends, family and associates of one another. How does one rack up 100s of fines🤔

[@we8608]

Exactly.

[@Sneakersniper23]

Same thing with my old landlord, I slipped and fall down his stairs then a couple weeks later the hallway ceiling fell on my back the judge still picked up with the landlord got me and my mom out after 25yrs

[@sherrisolomon8673]

@@Sneakersniper23 Wth? Wow!

[@Sneakersniper23]

@@sherrisolomon8673 crazy the judge don’t want to hear the tenants

[@laneylaney9985]

Trying get them out to raise the rent smh

[@babyshaya]

The landlords can just delay for decades. That's what they do

[@garfieldyates7405]

You don’t know anything 😂

[@babyshaya]

@@garfieldyates7405 exactly 💯

[@godbless9563]

How the hell do they keep letting them get away with this bullsh-t for so long. As soon as these people don't pay their rent they will be quick to take them to housing court. This is a damn shame shame on all that's involved and the people that's suppose to make sure sh-t like this don't happen.

[@SummerBreeze-sp6dn]

because the judges are in on it too

[@godbless9563]

@@SummerBreeze-sp6dn yes I know damn shame

[@nirvanabhagwandin6327]

They all attend the same synagogue , church.. The deals are made in favor of the landlords.

[@jayver5269]

Because Jews owns it and I am not a racist but saying it as it’s been seen in the news media. What is everyone pretending not to know about them?

[@JohnAranita]

HUD Section 8 requires all repairs like these be dealt with ASAP.

[@michaeljofat7895]

How do you get section 8?

[@JohnAranita]

@@michaeljofat7895 Applying. You should research the nearest Section 8 office to apply. I waited 10 years for my housing choice voucher.

[@michaeljofat7895]

@@JohnAranita I thought section 8 was on a freeze

[@JohnAranita]

@@michaeljofat7895 Well, different areas are affected by Section 8 differently. I live in Hawaii, but maybe California not is accepting Section 8. Varies from place to place.

[@michaeljofat7895]

@@JohnAranita ok

[@TruthAboutHuman]

After paying the $2M fine does landlord still have money to fix the building? Do the “judges” actually care for the people living inside the building?

[@PaRaBeLLuMxXx]

I am very curious on how this will play out…. I am also curious where that $2M goes???

[@kampoutkid]

If the owners fail to pay then the city will lein the property and eventually seize it for auction

[@sonomabob9043]

The tenants expect the apartments to be repaired and the rent stay the same. Not going to happen in a gentrifying area.

[@MaritzaGonzalez-jl5wo]

2 million dollar fine is absolutely ridiculous. If a landlord is unresponsive to that extent a sale should be forced thereby you lose your right to be a landlord. The city allowing housing fines to accumulate to that degree borders on negligence. Change the law.

[@marcpadilla1094]

Priced out and/or dilapidated .Everything is about identity politics, gross negligence, entitlements, and exploitation.

[@nuggets0717]

This is criminal. No more hiding behind an LLC. These property owners should be charged in a criminal court.

[@ReturnJaguar]

🦇🎃✅

[@CindyBobe7]

Yes please!! This is abuse and neglect! We are also dealing with slumlords who have us freezing in the winters 😢 I had a mental breakdown because of them. I want them to pay

[@nuggets0717]

@@CindyBobe7 report those a holes!!!! that is not okay!

[@ReturnJaguar]

@@CindyBobe7 ⚒️⚒️🌪️🌪️⚒️⚒️⚒️

[@carlie471]

A new law was recently passed in NY. No more anonymous LLC's are allowed. The owners real names must be published.

[@jonathanprince3724]

These landlords shouldn't have to pay a fine, they should go to jail.

[@theeoarsman921]

Both.

[@joseywales148]

Lol obviously you don’t understand how things work… they want these poor Blaqq tenants to move so they could gentrify the building and neighborhood

[@Heyokasireniei468sxso]

hell yeah they should

[@jamesstpatrick8493]

Ask yourself why don't fix it.. they make so little in rent that fixing it up makes no sense

[@Heyokasireniei468sxso]

@@jamesstpatrick8493 do you know what nyc rent cost thats a joke , but if they can fix it for themselves they should and they should be reimbursed for it and the labor

[@Joyce846]

I’m 💀 at the excel sheet of violations

[@we8608]

Like how tf is all that even possible, when a normal citizen is highly likely to get arrested for just having one violation?

[@LLyALySTFyMLL]

Nobody deserves to live in wretched conditions like this. It takes away so much from a person's self esteem let alone sense of safety and hygiene, etc. I pray the people affected will see this remedied and be able to live life with one less stress.

[@melindahernandez8778]

The CITY SHOULD TAKE THE BUILDING FROM THOSE MUTTS!!! Make Co-Ops and give them to the residents!

[@chapter1762]

Coop is expensive when compared to renting $600 bucks of rent a month

[@conitorres9774]

Good. He’s not the only landlord who does this.

[@stopthattrain14]

I wouldn't pay rent ,no one in this building should pay rent ,they should all be reimbursed

[@ashishpatel350]

Doubt the land lord cares ... It's an old building and requires a full renovation. That would mean the Tennants have to leave . And they don't want to pay fair market value for rent

[@stopthattrain14]

@@ashishpatel350is anything fair in today's economy , I mean 2 or 3000 dllrs for a 1 bedroom is just Ludacris, rent goes up but wages for the working class don't !

[@ashishpatel350]

@@stopthattrain14 and ? If you can't afford ito live with the rich then move to an area that you can afford

[@stopthattrain14]

@@ashishpatel350 bro I was born and raised in Washington heights uptown Manhattan that used to be low income nobody wanted to live there except us Dominicans ,until it was gentrified, my landlord payed me to move out , a year later I saw the apt I used live in listed for sale for a little over a million dollars

[@stopthattrain14]

Same thing with Williamsburg in Brooklyn, gentrification

[@AmberTris]

The city took this property from a black family in 2017 or 2018 and sold it to a company that told the tenants nothing was going to get repaired and their plan is to make it into condos. They told the tenants they would have to move in 2020 then covid hit. The only goal of the company that owns this property is to get everyone out, make repairs and sell it.

[@Mike-gc9ih]

How does the color of someones skin play into this? People always trying to pull that race card!!!

[@AmberTris]

@@Mike-gc9ih Because the city has been taking buildings from black and brown owners in black and brown neighborhoods. They are selling the buildings to corporations. These corporations are trying to kick out black and brown residents to renovate and sell at a price the black and brown residents/neighbors won't be able to afford. Race does play a part.

[@femmebrulee5053]

@@Mike-gc9ih You don't have to be triggered EVERY SINGLE TIME someone mentions race. Jesus! It's just a fact of the situation. You act like she mentioned that race fact in every sentence she wrote. She mentioned it once. Please just stop with the overreactions and exaggerating. She didn't pull the race card. Maybe you don't really know what the definition of pulling the race card is. Like would you have been as triggered if she said the city took it from an Italian family? I'm gonna safely guess, no. A certain set of y'all see or hear the word black and y'all get crazy triggered.

[@dianegreen1937]

@@femmebrulee5053 Every single time!🙄

[@wingspan7679]

Sounds familiar, just like my Landlord

[@elena6516]

deadbeat landlords

[@leviathancain5822]

Slum lords!!! Lock Em Up!!

[@RollerSCoaster17]

This is crazy!!

[@joy2theworld488]

Lord Have Mercy 🥺

[@beberodriguez4160]

My sentiment and NO heat 😏😳🙏🏼

[@johnnys3499]

If the tenants are not paying the rent then why should the landlord keep all those utilities for them, you can’t live for free, you have to pay rent

[@MAG320]

OH wow. A Non-NYCHA apt that also needs repairs? ISn't THAT something!

[@lisadelpeche3371]

you have a point. you have nycha apt in the same situation and they are not being sued millions.

[@CindyBobe7]

Please we need help too🙏 We are dealing with slumlords! We go without heat for long periods of times. We have no heat since last wk. please help us 🙏🙏

[@RudeNico]

Small hats definitely own this building

[@kampoutkid]

Spicy

[@arnelevans4803]

Exactly

[@DamuRyde]

If y'all think that's something you should check out where I was staying in Jamaica Queens I was the property manager there doing everything to take care of the property the landlord was jealous of me I had to call HPD on them because of the inadequate situation they had me living in in the basement it floods with water from the main line so every time people use the toilet or shower it comes down on me in the basement to the point where I had to move out

[@Hal-fx2gu]

Love how they only show bad landlords not bad tenants. Printing the picture that every landlords are evil

[@IPRAYFORYOUALL]

Either way it's awful. I know of two landlords that are nice people. The tenants didn't pay rent for over 2 years. How can you stay in someone's place for that length of time and not pay rent? However, the judge kept allowing them to stay. It's wrong for landlords to treat tenants as mentioned in the video AND it's wrong for tenants to take advantage of the landlord and live rent free. I knew a landlord who took matters into his own hands. The tenant wouldn't pay rent and the landlord took out all the windows in the dead of winter. You know they moved out, as we would say back in the day.... 'with the swiftness'.

[@blizz730ny]

Why did take this long 3yrs who is checking the paperwork

[@ciprianvp7272]

it's funny if you have violations on your vehicle more then 400$ they impound your car the city should confiscate the building

[@dustblaster____________7670]

they were fined 2 million dollars, force them to sell the building, and give the tenants the option to buy the apartment and like that you created pride in ownership.

[@michaell341]

landlord will repair once all tenants are out. part of their plan most likely

[@tony-ce7qp]

jail time for landlord A MUST

[@henryhorner3182]

Good! Time authorities went after slumlords.

[@rayedrama]

0:46 This is where the Rats do their dance 😂😂😂😭😂😭😂😭

[@m.susandenton1077]

Why is the fine ONLY $2 Million???? 😡

[@VeronicaBarreraa]

I read it too fast 😂 I thought he found $2M

[@Teymurphell2]

So don’t pay the rent

[@ashishpatel350]

Cost too much fix old buildings

[@joelittorres]

Slumlords... Collecting rent and not repairing anything.

[@puck61luck64]

This is all of New York. It's cheaper to pay the fines then to repair the building.

[@newyorkcity76]

Don’t pay rent

[@PiNKUZi]

Bedford Stuyvesant used to be mad inexpensive to live in back in the day!that’s such a shame 😢

[@thomasmaroti9312]

A feel a J..... lighting strike coming

[@Plumber1111]

As a former landlord that sold my 20 apartments to a corporate landlord who got a steal to say the least. I offered a deal to my tenants that were struggling. Pay what you can at the moment. I explained that this will allow me to keep the maintenance up at the very least. Maintenance costs a lot, many people don't realize this. I was willing to eat the mortgage costs, in the end. They refused to pay, and I sold them to a corporation for a 1.3 million loss. My emergency funds dried up in 6 mouths and I almost had to file for bankruptcy. The sale of my units saved me and now the tenants are kicking themselves. A small time landlord that more flexible with his tenants for a corporation that cares very little. Each tenants is a number and they can be replaced.

[@sandrasoares9262]

Sad the landlord is a sad person They like you to give them your money . But wind it's time to dow some they look at you like You are no one cares about you or your families But you know God see very thing Thankyou for your time today And have a wonderful day.

[@murphyville]

Shut the place DOWN!

[@astarothys8818]

Good for you Judge

[@charmainegibson4905]

This is so sad. I hope they all get what is coming to them. Just evil.

[@thebadger9302]

2Mil in fines? Making property owners pay fines is bullshit. Nothing will change. The city should just bid out the work, get the repairs done, then bill the property owner. Plus interest.

[@glbernini0]

Are the residents still forced to pay rent? Is a rent strike something that could be done to encourage the owners?

[@muhammadousillah369]

I am glad he got fined I wish is more I hope they search more of them

[@Heyokasireniei468sxso]

no this is a good piece and thank god atleast one of these beast went down those poor tenets struggling to pay their rent to have to deal with such bs

[@NicotineRosberg]

I'm gonna sue my landlord too

[@jamesstpatrick8493]

They going bankrupt and moving out of state

[@adelmomontero3554]

If you want low rent, then they can't expect 5star accomodations.

[@miltonfriedman3593]

Well if you try to pay the rent once in awhile...

[@tomhenry897]

Didn’t pay off the city

[@zak_hateschoolyt5277]

Since when gentrification

[@junfak]

Its rent control law thats at fault. I bet owner has absolutely no money to be made after utilities and tax so they rather let this property go.

[@darrellbiggeegalloway5274]

Blood Sukkas !!!

[@billh.1940]

The tenants should go to the landlord's home, beating him senseless. See if that helps.

[@we8608]

GOOD!

[@chrislacy4185]

Doesn't sound like there's a lot of money in this neighborhood nor maybe owner probably. Seems like a land grab by the city my opinion

[@alphaomega5909]

A West Michigan landlord. Our county, cities, townships ,,clear to Grand Rapids. Have passed laws to allow even Section 8,etc renters to Withhold rent. I recommend citizens in this area inact such laws. Once property owners aren't getting $? Consistently,, must provide they made rentals habitable,, mompnthly? They'll move faster. Seize n hold their Rents $s.

[@michaeljofat7895]

They have insurance for these things right?

[@atlsupremeg7462]

they will just dissolve the company sell the building and operate under a different name...

[@IamTheTravelTycoon]

I bet they got ppp

[@smerfylubie8263]

the tenant can just move out

[@samrah25]

Usual suspects doing what they do best! SMH

[@michaellewis5422]

Shit is atrocious... smh but they got all this high fucking rent gimme a break

[@johnnyfive1412]

How many of the tenants are up to date with their rents?

[@Heyokasireniei468sxso]

who cares

[@nuggets0717]

Why are you simping for slumlords

[@johnnyfive1412]

@@nuggets0717 --- If they dont pay MARKET rent then how would he make repairs? These people can move if they dont like the conditions.

[@Seashellsbytheseashore21]

Oh get real. This is bullshit and you know it. I live in the same type of shit. We all pay our rent. And nothing is ever repaired or if it is, it takes years and it’s done half assed. I’m glad I don’t have rats like these people.

[@Seashellsbytheseashore21]

And no, you can’t just move. Housing shortage big time where I live in California

[@kona_brew]

Is it at least cheap rent?

[@quasamburress5025]

THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN A RENTAL PROPERTY IS A MUTUAL AGREEMENT THAT THE PARTIES AGREE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE UPKEEP TAXES AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE UTILITIES WILL BE PAID BY THE TENANTS AND THE MONTHLY PAYMENT AMOUNT OF RENT ONCE THE LANDLORDS ARE AWARE AND WILL MEET THE TERMS THE NEGLIGENCE IS NO LONGER DEEMED TO BE THE LIABILITY FOR ANY TENANTS AND THE DISPUTES AGAINST THE LANDLORDS IS NO COLLECTIONS OF MONETARY VALUE AND THE TENANTS HAVE NO OBLIGATIONS WITH ANY PAYMENT OF CONTRACTUAL MONTHLY PAYMENTS EXCEPT FOR UTILITIES UNTIL BOTH PARTIES ARE IN A NEW AGREEMENT WITH THE UPGRADES THAT HAVE A RENEWABLE INTEREST OF MEETING ALL OF THE PAST TERMS TO ENTERING INTO A NEW AGREEMENT WITHOUT FORFEITURE. A BUSINESS CONTRACT CAN NOT ONLY BENEFIT ONE PARTIES INTEREST DUE BY NOT BECOMING A SOLE OWNER AFTER GAINING A TENURE FINANCIAL AMOUNT OF CREDIT FOR MONEY FROM A SHORT PERIOD THE LANDLORDS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMAINDER OF TIME WITHOUT PAYMENTS EXCEPT FOR THE NEGLECT AND THE TENANTS HAVE A RESIDENCE FROM THE LANDLORDS UNTIL A NEW AGREEMENT WITH THE PROCESS OF REPAIRS TO REMAIN IN A SIGNED CONTRACT

[@wack8589]

All those buildings need to be demolished

[@Ee-lb1ej]

Did anyone asked them if they had paid their rents?

[@we8608]

They don't have to pay their rents if the landlords aren't keeping up with repairs, especially in a scenario like this, where the disrepair is extremely negligent.

[@Grasshopper.80]

Simple take over the property.

[@glenperu]

Great he'll be selling soon.

[@lunhil12]

Millions live in substandard housing in this country. The laws are to protect the rich, not the rest of us.

[@Chris-wk7xq]

How can they make repairs to a building when the city limits how much money they make by implementing rent caps lol 🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@Paidonjok]

That’s what you get for cheap rentals. U lucky there’s a place to live. NEXT

[@CeeTeeUSA]

Better to be homeless than live there.

[@ArtIsDrawing]

Stop telling landlords what to do!!!

[@elena6516]

lolwut?

[@loggie3429]

They ought to be in prison. Purposely leaving people without heat and in conditions with clear, severe health implications, should be a felony punishable by jail time. No LLC should be able to shield landlords from what is abuse. The fact that it is done purposely should be treated as assault because that is exactly what it is. Two million is probably nothing to them. Should be fines AND jail time. And no ability to hide behind LLC. There are situations in which I have sympathy for small landlords. But this is an entirely different situation. Pure greed, avarice and frankly only sociopaths could operate in this manner.

[@glorygloryhallelujah]

The tenants probably don't pay rent or the section 8 money isn't enough to cover the expenses. Don't be so quick to blame the landlord.

[@sherrisolomon8673]

Alain Mehani, I thought section 8 helps complete accommodate 2/3 rds of what landlord wants to charge so the tenant only has to cover the other third.

[@sherrisolomon8673]

Alain Mehani, BTW, I highly doubt that that old men is that behind in rent to have the landlord neglect repairs for 3 years. When the landlord could have evicted the tenant much sooner.

[@kateskeys]

Good

[@landslidelie]

Man if they are JEWISH they dnt have to do anything. MY PPL KWN WHT TIME IT IS.

[@ShandaP018]

Right. The books are about to be settled..

[@biggcebo]

Theres a bigger story about this Black Owned property. The city is talking all types of steps to take this building, they may have already, just leaving it in the name of the black owners. Theyre trying to get them people out of there.

[@blackobservation7429]

That money should go straight to the tenants

[@jeepcam2692]

did they pay the rent?

[@we8608]

They don't have to pay their rents if the landlords aren't keeping up with repairs, especially in a scenario like this, where the disrepair is extremely negligent.

[@ya49]

What why would some one not have to pay rent

[@ping_me1vp]

Yea & those are also the people that haven't worked a day in their damn life but live off of unemployment disabilities without really being disabled ofcourse & are just master manipulators of system scammers! That want to live for free, & free ia too expensive, sure these landlords can't afford repairs either because they're nor receiving any payments to support lease paybacks to the bank on the property because lots of these people get a fff check from the government which they're supposed to pay the landlord for rent & they never do! But always gave an excuse of some sort, aorry but lotsnof these peopke are purely a scam artists just as well as some land lords

[@Scrubby-McScrubberson]

Someone forgot to wear their tiny hat that day

[@ReturnJaguar]

GET EMS ALL🎃🎃🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇⚒️⚒️

[@dluverm]

This only happens to Black people y’all , smh 🤦‍♀️

[@ArtIsDrawing]

BLM!

[@faithjoy1548]

Your exactly right, BLM does matter. What ever your ethnicity is matters as well.✌️☺️

[@mikefagan6840]

Oops, his envelope to his Democrat hook musta been late. 🤣🤣🤣

[@MediaSoundBites]

Better be careful, reporting this we know the landlord is Jewish you might be label as a anti-semi