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Page 16 - The Indian EYE 032026
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    North                       The Indian Eye

                              AMERICANNewsline

             16                                                                                                                MARCH 20, 2026

               Mayor Mamdani Announces Historic $2.1m

                  Court Judgment Against Bronx Landlord,

                 Requiring Repairs And Financial Penalties

              First-of-its-Kind Judgment Requires Maximum Civil Penalty and Repairs within

                                                  One Month at 919 Prospect Avenue

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            in protecting the health and safety of
                                                                                                                  New Yorkers and holding those re-
            NEW YORK, NY
                                                                                                                  sponsible accountable.”
                  YC Mayor Zohran Kwame                                                                              “TakeRoot Justice has been fight-
                   Mamdani and New York                                                                           ing alongside the tenants from 919
            NCity        Corporation   Coun-                                                                      Prospect Ave since 2016 for the right
            sel Steve Banks have announced a                                                                      to  safe,  dignified  living  conditions.
            first-of-its-kind  ruling  in  a  case  that                                                          This judgement is a sign of prog-
            the City brought against the owners                                                                   ress, and the tenants are hopeful,
            of 919 Prospect Avenue in the South                                                                   but it is important to highlight that
            Bronx.  The  ruling,  the  first  to  im-                                                             this new administration has much
            pose  the maximum penalties avail-                                                                    work to do to enforce housing codes
            able under New York City’s Nuisance                                                                   and hold slumlords accountable,”
            Abatement  Law,  will  require  the                                                                   said Claribel Morales, Staff Attorney,
            landlord to address the most severe                                                                   and Nova Rivera, Advocacy Coordi-
            of the  building’s  noncompliant  con-                                                                nator, TakeRoot Justice.
            ditions  within  two  weeks,  all  non-                                                                   919  Prospect Avenue  is  an oc-
            compliant conditions within one                                                                       cupied,  rent-stabilized  building
            month, and pay $1,000 for each day   said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for   needed to provide their tenants with   owned by Seth Miller, who has con-
            that a public nuisance has persisted —   Housing and Planning.      a safe place to call home,” said Build-  sistently  been placed on the Public
            including a full retroactive penalty of   “In the Mamdani administra-  ings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.  Advocate’s “Worst Landlords Watch-
            $2,174,000.                       tion, the Mayor of New York City is  “This major ruling sends a strong   list,” and the associated building is
               “This judgment is a landmark vic-  on tenants’ side. The tenants of 919   message that putting our fellow New   currently part of Housing Preserva-
            tory not only for those who call 919   Prospect Avenue have fought for a  Yorkers  in  harm’s  way  in  their own   tion and Development’s (HPD) Al-
            Prospect Ave home, but for tenants   livable home for more than a decade,  homes  is  not  acceptable.  We  are   ternative Enforcement Program. At
            across  the  five  boroughs  who  must   and this victory is a turning point in   thankful to the Law Department for   919 Prospect Avenue, there are vio-
            contend with the daily misery,  mis-  that fight. We will leave no stone un-  their dogged pursuit in this case.”  lations for a deteriorated facade, un-
            treatment  and neglect of a bad   turned in our work to create a city   “Tenants should not have to live   safe electrical equipment, obstruct-
            landlord. Let the scale of this pen-  where every tenant can live in com-  for years with conditions like un-  ed  fire  escapes,  an  unsafe  elevator,
            alty show how seriously we take the   fort and dignity,”  said  Cea  Weaver,  safe  electrical  equipment,  pests,  or   inoperable boiler, a  partial vacate
            threat of building mismanagement   Director  of  the  Mayor’s  Office  to   broken building systems because an   order, peeling lead-based paint, lack
            that put residents’ and neighbors’   Protect Tenants.               owner refuses to make basic repairs,”  of self-closing doors, mice and roach
            health at risk,” said Mayor Mamdani.   “The City will use every tool avail-  said  Housing Preservation and De-  infestations, and the failure to erect a
            “We will continue to use every tool at   able to ensure tenants are protected   velopment Commissioner Dina Levy.  necessary sidewalk shed.
            our disposal to protect tenants across   and building owners comply with the  “At HPD, we’re going to keep using   After the City sought an injunc-
            New York.”                        law,” said  New York City Corpo-  every enforcement tool we have to   tion, a New York State Supreme
               “Every New Yorker has the right   ration Counsel Steve Banks. “This   make sure landlords meet their ob-  Court  Judge  issued  a  Decision  and
            to a safe and well-maintained home.   court ruling not only helps us hold   ligation to keep their buildings safe   Order granting the City’s motion to
            For far too long, the residents of 919   this one landlord accountable, it will   and livable.”       order the correction of code viola-
            Prospect Avenue have been denied   also enhance our efforts to safeguard   “Housing maintenance issues   tions and abatement of all public nui-
            that right – and this judgment will   building residents in numerous other   like peeling lead-paint and pest in-  sances at the premises, and the impo-
            finally  turn  the  tide.  The  City’s  ac-  cases.”                festations aren’t just a public nui-  sition of Nuisance Abatement Law
            tions in this case show how we can,   “This court decision is an import-  sance, but a threat to public health,”  penalties in the amount of $1,000
            and will, ensure that building owners   ant  step  towards  finally  compelling   said NYC Health Commissioner Dr.  per day for each day the building had
            are upholding their legal obligations,   the owners of 919 Prospect Avenue   Alister Martin. “We applaud Mayor   an open violation that rendered it a
            whether through building or housing   to live up to their legal responsibil-  Mamdani and Corporation Counsel   public nuisance – including full ret-
            code enforcement or legal action,”   ities and make the building repairs   Banks for their steadfast leadership   roactive penalty of $2,174,000.

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