Brooklyn Landlord Accused Of Illegally Evicting Rent-Regulated Tenants
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York authorities have brought criminal charges against a Brooklyn landlord they say drove tenants out of rent-regulated apartments by doing construction and demolition at his building.
The indictment handed up Wednesday charges Daniel Melamed with unlawfully evicting tenants from rent-regulated apartments, endangering the welfare of a child and filing a false document.
Brooklyn Landlord Accused Of Illegally Evicting Rent-Regulated Tenants
Melamed allegedly cut off the tenants' heat and hot water at 1578 Union St. in Crown Heights, and engaged in demolition work that produced dangerous lead particles, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
"Winter was inside this building for the tenants that lived there as well as the thick dust that poured into their apartments," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said. "They had to stuff wet towels under their doors just to keep the dust out."
Authorities also accuse Melamed of filing false documents with the city Department of Buildings, stating the building was vacant when all units were occupied, to avoid submitting a plan to ensure tenant safety during construction.
The attorney general said 14 families lived at the building when Melamed took over, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported. Now only three are left.
"I'm happy that they arrested them 'cause they really treat people bad," neighbor Daphne Goodison told CBS2's Dick Brennan.
"The landlord is after their money. They don't care," neighbor Olabisi Fujah added.
Brooklyn Landlord Accused Of Illegally Evicting Rent-Regulated Tenants
Schneiderman and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio discussed the landlord's arrest at an afternoon news conference in Brooklyn. The officials said the arrest is the first to come from their joint task force to prevent tenant harassment.
"The message today is game over. There will now be serious consequences," de Blasio said.
The task force was launched in February to inspect properties that have been the subject of harassment complaints.
Melamed was expected to be arraigned Wednesday. A call to his attorney wasn't immediately returned. If convicted, he faces 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.
Melamed's engineer, Pirooz Soltanizadeh, was also indicted for allegedly filing a false document.
Schneiderman and de Blasio warned there will be more investigations and more legal action to come.
"An unscrupulous landlord will do everything in its power, legally or illegally, to jack up the rent 20 percent," de Blasio said.
Meanwhile, the state law for the city's rent regulations expired Tuesday, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders trying to negotiate an extension and possible revisions.
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