“Distressed” UWS Buildings Placed on HPD List; Must Address Violations Swiftly

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) recently announced that 250 violation-stricken buildings have been placed in the City’s Alternative Enforcement Program (AEP), an annual initiative that “heightens enforcement against the City’s most distressed multi-family buildings.”

The 250 buildings — which house over 5,000 apartments — have “almost 40,000 open housing code violations including 9,442 immediately hazardous (Class-C) violations, 21,821 hazardous (Class-B), and 8,327 non-hazardous (Class-A),” according to an HPD press release.

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Landlords are required to correct “most violations [within] the first four months” in order to be discharged from this program. This includes “all heat and hot water violations, 80% of hazardous mold violations, pest violations, and 100% of all other class ‘B’ and ‘C’ violations. Buildings not discharged within the first four months of the initial notice are also subject to significant fees.”

HPD may facilitate “emergency repairs” at the owner’s expense if the violations aren’t fixed within these four months, and may “petition the Housing Court to have a 7A Administrator take control of the building to collect rent and make the necessary repairs.”

Two of these 250 buildings are on the UWS:

215 West 109th Street

(Google Maps)

The owner of this 25-unit rental building, Michael Daniel, was included in the Public Advocate’s 2021 “Worst Landlord Watch List,” which identifies the worst 100 NYC landlords each year. Daniel earned the 41st position for violations at 215 West 109th Street and his three other buildings. There are currently two apartments available at this building; both 2 bedrooms, for $2,850 and $2,900. Here are the other UWS landlords on the 2021 Watchlist.

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311 West 95th Street

(Google Maps)

This 33-unit rental building currently has a partial stop-work order, according to the Department of Buildings, though it’s unclear what exactly it’s for. Recent complaints mention “electric and structural safety issues for work done without a permit,” fire hazards, and plumbing issues; “the drains are not draining properly.” Recent rentals at the building have included a first floor + basement one-bedroom for $2,700, and a third-floor three-bedroom for $3,400.

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