Landlord Fined $398,550 for Illegal Alteration of Three-Family House to SRO Units

DOB issued a number of violation notices to landlord based on illegal alteration of a three-family house into SRO units with key-locking devices on a number of floors and in the cellar. An additional Class A apartment also had been added to the second floor. Landlord disputed whether the building owner was properly named in the violations, and stated that some of the SRO tenants had refused to move out, although the cellar had been vacated.

The ALJ ruled against landlord, who appealed and won in part. The ECB found that the building owner was properly named in the violations and that landlord received a fair hearing. But since the cellar occupants had moved out before the violations were issued, per-day penalties were revoked. Still, the penalties for the violations totalled $398,550 for the 11 violation notices.

DOB v. Owner of 136-02 35 Avenue: ECB App. No. 2000014 (3/5/20) [5-pg. doc.]