New York’s 10 worst landlords targeted by housing advocates

The landlords were called out for their tenant-harassing tactics

Last week the housing advocacy group Stabilizing NYC released its list of the ten worst predatory equity landlords across New York City. The group—a coalition of 15 neighborhood-based organizations who teamed up in 2014—releases the lists to "combat tenant harassment and preserve affordable housing for the New Yorkers who need it most." (This isn't the first time the group has put pressure on bad landlords.)

Stabilizing NYC looks at five factors that make for "predatory equity" landlords, including harassment of tenants and high turnover that leads to rent-regulated units being lost. The companies on the list have, by and large, bought up rent-regulated apartment buildings and aggressively push out the rent-stabilized tenants using a wide range of harassing techniques, some of which can be illegal.

All ten landlords were called out, according to Stabilizing NYC, because they "reportedly force tenants to live in horrendous and, often, dangerous conditions." All Year Management, headed by developer Yoel Goldman, tops the list. Other familiar names include Icon Realty Management, Madison Realty Capital/Silverstone Property Group, and Steve Croman, who will serve jail time for his tenant-harassing tactics.

Icon Realty, according to EV Grieve, owns multiple East Village buildings and is accused of displacing rent-regulated tenants with frivolous lawsuits, as well as exposing them to health and safety threats.

Lesser-known names on the list include Coney Realty Group, David David, INK Property Group, R.A. Cohen & Associates, and ZARA Realty Holding Corp. Ved Parkash, a Queens-based landlord with operations primarily in the Bronx, was also on there, and has been called out by Stabilizing NYC for a few years now.

Keriann Pauls, a staff attorney with the Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center, said in a press release that "We will be targeting these landlords to help tenants fight back against the predatory practices that put their homes at risk."

This comes at a time the New York City Council has introduced legislation useful to lawyers and organizers fighting against predatory equity, including the Predatory Equity Watch List. Housing advocates are now working with local pols, like Councilmember Ritchie Torres, to enforce the new laws.

"Landlords who act in bad faith in order to kick out tenants to make a profit and flip buildings should pay attention: we're developing tools that will protect tenants and their homes, and disallow landlords from beefing up their pockets through illegal actions," Councilmember Torres said in a statement.

• List of Target Landlords [Stabilizing NYC]
• Tenant Advocacy Group Names City's Worst landlords [EV Grieve]
• Notorious landlord Steve Croman will serve jail time [Curbed]
• Advocacy Group Takes Aim at 7 of NYC's Worst Landlords [Curbed]