What to Know
- Public Advocate Letitia James released her annual "Worst Landlords Watchlist" Thursday at a rally for tenants' rights in Foley Square
- Three of the top 5 "worst" landlords in the city have made the Watchlist two years in a row
- The highest number of buildings on the list are in Brooklyn and Manhattan
Public Advocate Letitia James revealed her annual "Worst Landlords Watchlist" at a rally supporting tenants' rights in Foley Square Thursday morning.
The interactive database lists 100 landlords who have accumulated the most violations relative to the number of buildings they own. The list is compiled using data gathered from the Department of Buildings and Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
In addition to buildings owned by the "worst" landlords, the Watchlist includes the top 20 worst buildings from each borough, regardless of their ownership.
James found that the highest number of buildings on the list are in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The top three worst landlords, according to the list — Harry D. Silverstein, Allan Goldman, and Efstathios Valiotis — own properties throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhatttan and Queens. Three of the top five worst landlords have made the Watchlist top five for consecutive years.
Silverstein has 2,032 HPD violations and 50 DOB violations over 575 units in eight buildings. He owns five properties in Brooklyn, two in Queens and one in the Bronx.
Valiotis expressed disappointment in his inclusion on the Watchlist. He said that he has fixed a majority of the violations in his buildings, but the improvements won't be reflected until they are certified by HPD.
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"It is unfortunate that the Public Advocate's Office doesn't accurately reflect the current conditions of these buildings," he said in an emailed statement. "I remain committed to continue to improve all outstanding building conditions and provide quality housing to all tenants."
The other four landlords did not respond to a request for comment from NBC 4 New York.
James said in a tweet that the annual list puts bad landlords on notice and gives tenants the power they need to improve their living conditions.
The #WorstLandlords list is how we put bad landlords on notice. NYC stands behind its tenants & this list gives tenants the power they need
— Tish James (@TishJames) October 13, 2016
