Bad Math: Three Landlords Arrested for 500 Violations in Two Brooklyn Buildings

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241 247 linden Bad Math: Three Landlords Arrested for 500 Violations in Two Brooklyn Buildings
Beautiful on the outside... (PropertyShark)

There are slumlords and then there are slumlords.

Three Brooklyn landlords were arrested yesterday for failing to address a combined 500 open housing code violations on two properties, according to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Lewis Alleyne, Dwight King and Gerald King were arrested after failing to appear in court and failing to comply with court orders directing them to make necessary changes to fix the housing violations. Both buildings—241 Linden Boulevard and 247 Linden Boulevard—are residential and almost fully occupied. Yes, 500 violations for two buildings.

“The buildings were in extremely bad condition,” said Eric Bederman, press secretary for HPD, in an email. “They are in our Alternative Enforcement Program—a lot of people refer to it as the city’s 200 worst buildings program.”

The violations, per the HPD website, are staggering (emphasis ours):

Some of the hazardous (B-class violations) and immediately hazardous (C-class violations) violations that are open and associated with 241 Linden include: Lead paint, roaches, defective wood flooring, loose electrical outlets, broken locks on the entrance door, mold, no heat, defective faucets, obstructed fire escapes, cascading water leaks, missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, scalding hot water, peeling and chipping paint/plaster, etc.

Some of the hazardous (B-class violations) and immediately hazardous (C-class violations) violations that are open and associated with 247 Linden include: no heat, exposed electrical wiring, roaches, water leaks, accumulated refuse, smoke detectors, blistered roof coverings, sloping wood floors, broken/defective fire damaged floor joists in the cellar, rodents, no electricity in some units, etc.

“HPD couldn’t get into the building to do the work because the owners denied our staff and our contractors access to the property,” Mr. Bederman said.

The court had previously instructed the defendants to correct the violations by July 9 of last year, but when the landlords failed to comply with the court’s orders, they were arrested and now have to fix the violations before Sept. 16 to erase their civil contempt case.

pengel@observer.com