These Harlem Buildings Named On 'Worst Landlord' List For 2023

HARLEM, NY — Tenants of 62 Harlem buildings have the unfortunate reality of living in properties owned by the 100 worst landlords in New York City during 2023, according to a new report published by city officials.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams on Wednesday released the "Worst Landlords Watchlist,” which uses public data on housing violations to highlight the property owners in the five boroughs who keep their buildings in the worst shape.

The list is based on the average number of open violations recorded at each building between December 2022 and November 2023, according to the city's housing department.

Here are the Harlem buildings that are owned by a collection of the 100 worst landlords in NYC, according to the Public Advocate's Office:

22 Mt. Morris Park West

• Landlord: Larry Hirschfield
• Number of HPD violations: 120

509 West 135th St.

• Landlord: Larry Hirschfield
• Number of HPD violations: 58

508 West 151st St.

• Landlord: Larry Hirschfield
• Number of HPD violations: 48

133 West 145th St.

• Landlord: Sima Abdavies
• Number of HPD violations: 133

142 West 139th St.

• Landlord: Robert Raphael
• Number of HPD violations: 65

574 St. Nicholas Ave.

• Landlord: Robert Raphael
• Number of HPD violations: 120

602 West 141st St.

• Landlord: Juda Stern
• Number of HPD violations: 139

559 West 149th St.

• Landlord: Juda Stern
• Number of HPD violations: 119

561 West 149th St.

• Landlord: Juda Stern
• Number of HPD violations: 97

145 Edgecombe Ave.

• Landlord: Juda Stern
• Number of HPD violations: 77

175 Morningside Ave.

• Landlord: Juda Stern
• Number of HPD violations: 57

1480 Amsterdam Ave.

• Landlord: Doug Peterson
• Number of HPD violations: 112

318 East 126th St.

• Landlord: Doug Peterson
• Number of HPD violations: 84

322 East 126th St.

• Landlord: Doug Peterson
• Number of HPD violations: 149

524 East 119th St.

• Landlord: Doug Peterson
• Number of HPD violations: 139

320 East 126th St.

• Landlord: Doug Peterson
• Number of HPD violations: 111

452 West 164th St.

• Landlord: Doug Peterson
• Number of HPD violations: 79

137 West 141st Street

• Landlord: Eleanor Patrick
• Number of HPD violations: 187

117 West 141st Street

• Landlord: Eleanor Patrick
• Number of HPD violations: 186

127 West 141st Street

• Landlord: Eleanor Patrick
• Number of HPD violations: 151

320 Manhattan Ave.

• Landlord: Sandy Poklar
• Number of HPD violations: 110

346 Manhattan Ave.

• Landlord: Sandy Poklar
• Number of HPD violations: 98

220 West 149th St.

• Landlord: Sandy Poklar
• Number of HPD violations: 92

2546 Adam C. Powell Blvd.

• Landlord: Sandy Poklar
• Number of HPD violations: 76

590 Riverside Dr.

• Landlord: Tony Huang
• Number of HPD violations: 192

2172 2nd Ave.

• Landlord: Aaron Jungreis
• Number of HPD violations: 45

17 St. Nicholas Ave.

• Landlord: Scott Castellano
• Number of HPD violations: 100

117 West 116th St.

• Landlord: Scott Castellano
• Number of HPD violations: 77

239 West 116th St.

• Landlord: Scott Castellano
• Number of HPD violations: 75

125 West 116th St.

• Landlord: Scott Castellano
• Number of HPD violations: 69

372 West 127th St.

• Landlord: Scott Castellano
• Number of HPD violations: 53

133 West 116th St.

• Landlord: Scott Castellano
• Number of HPD violations: 45

251 West 116th St.

• Landlord: Scott Castellano
• Number of HPD violations: 33

613 West 140th St.

• Landlord: Bijan Nassi
• Number of HPD violations: 381

572 West 141st St.

• Landlord: Bijan Nassi
• Number of HPD violations: 223

2490 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

• Landlord: Bijan Nassi
• Number of HPD violations: 59

124 West 112nd St.

• Landlord: Moe Greenzweig
• Number of HPD violations: 26

245 West 116th St.

• Landlord: Moe Greenzweig
• Number of HPD violations: 75

656 St. Nicholas Ave.

• Landlord: Jonah Bamberger
• Number of HPD violations: 117

228 West 147th St.

• Landlord: Michael Daniel
• Number of HPD violations: 306

465 West 152nd St.

• Landlord: Michael Daniel
• Number of HPD violations: 70

219 West 144th St.

• Landlord: Lois Baynham
• Number of HPD violations: 368

229 West 144th St.

• Landlord: Lois Baynham
• Number of HPD violations: 169

162 West 132nd St.

• Landlord: Astley Groves
• Number of HPD violations: 531

2 West 129th St.

• Landlord: Jose Espinal
• Number of HPD violations: 118

64 East 131st St.

• Landlord: Jose Espinal
• Number of HPD violations: 44

312 East 106th St.

• Landlord: George Zayas
• Number of HPD violations: 100

238 East 116th St.

• Landlord: George Zayas
• Number of HPD violations: 90

411 East 114th St.

• Landlord: George Zayas
• Number of HPD violations: 88

122 East 103rd St.

• Landlord: George Zayas
• Number of HPD violations: 80

421 East 114th St.

• Landlord: George Zayas
• Number of HPD violations: 55

417 East 114th St.

• Landlord: George Zayas
• Number of HPD violations: 53

419 East 114th St.

• Landlord: George Zayas
• Number of HPD violations: 45

404 Lenox Ave.

• Landlord: Ramon Escobar
• Number of HPD violations: 83

2024 Madison Ave.

• Landlord: Ramon Escobar
• Number of HPD violations: 28

149 East 121st St.

• Landlord: Ramon Escobar
• Number of HPD violations: 19

3501 Broadway

• Landlord: Smajlje Srdanovic
• Number of HPD violations: 92

147 East 118th St.

• Landlord: Anh Do
• Number of HPD violations: 81

736 Riverside Dr.

• Landlord: Nabil Chowdhury
• Number of HPD violations: 139

351 West 125th St.

• Landlord: Nabil Chowdhury
• Number of HPD violations: 139

609 West 151st St.

• Landlord: Nabil Chowdhury
• Number of HPD violations: 119

2359 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

• Landlord: Nabil Chowdhury
• Number of HPD violations: 37

Johnathan Santana claimed the dubious title of "Worst Landlord" for the second year running, according to 2023's list.

And Santana isn't just any repeat top offender on the annual 100 Worst Landlords in NYC — he and his boss, notorious accused slumlord Daniel Ohebshalom, shared a new record for average open violations in the list's history at nearly 3,300, said Williams' office.

Santana set the previous record last year at roughly 3,000.

"Johnathan Santana and Daniel Ohebshalom may be shameless in their negligence and predatory practices, as is clear in their record violations, but it’s clear that spotlighting and shaming them and other worst landlords in the city can have meaningful impact," Williams said in a statement.

The Worst Landlords Watchlist is designed to be a tool for tenants, advocates and officials to spot property owners who flout laws.

Ohebshalom has been a fixture on the list for years — a distinction that arguably helped bring official scrutiny to longstanding tenant claims his buildings are filled with rodents, burst pipes and even mushrooms growing out of walls.

Scrutiny led to legal action by city officials, who this year won $4 million in three lawsuits against him.

Santana worked as the designated head officer for Ohebshalom, according to the watchlist.
Ohebshalom's attorney Simon Reiff didn't return a call for comment.

The new list comes just days after a Bronx building with a history of violations partially collapsed. The building's head officer is affiliated with the 50th-worst landlord on the list, according to information provided by the public advocate's office.

See the full list here.

-With reporting by Matt Troutman.