In a decisive move to defend tenant rights, New York Attorney General Letitia James has put a stop to the predatory practices of a landlord known for renting to University at Albany students. According to an announcement from the Attorney General's office, Asaf Elkayam and his company, Jerusalem Management, LLC, were found liable for charging unlawful fees, issuing misleading leases, and violating tenants' privacy by allowing workers unrestricted access to their apartments.
Jerusalem Management, with its substantial portfolio of 85 buildings housing more than 200 rental units predominantly serves the University at Albany student community. Taking an edge off the market, Attorney General James has now curbed Elkayam's capacity to exploit these often inexperienced renters, who, as stated by James, "No New Yorkers should have to fear that their landlord may enter their home unannounced, or worry about paying outrageous fees just to rent an apartment." These statements followed an investigation initiated in response to complaints referred to the Office of the Attorney General by the City of Albany in 2022, which alleged unfair and deceptive leasing and management practices, according to the press release.
The probe led by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) discovered several egregious lease provisions, including application fees exceeding state law caps of $20, exorbitant cleaning fees upwards of $100, and prohibitive late fees. Furthermore, leases under Elkayam's management did not necessitate notice before landlord entry, disrupting tenants' peace, including one who shared her experience of maintenance workers entering her apartment at the early hour of 8:00 a.m. without any prior notice.
As a result of these legal violations, Elkayam has been ordered to pay $8,000 in penalties, remove deceptive terms from all future contracts, and implement a process ensuring tenants are given proper notice before any apartment entries. Additionally, Elkayam's tenants will receive a copy of the OAG's Residential Tenants' Rights Guide, potentially educating many on rights they were previously unaware of. The case was effectively managed by Assistant Attorney General Christopher Lee, with oversight from Assistant Attorney General Vinita Kamath, who heads the Poughkeepsie Regional Office.
Attorney General James has a strong record of advocating for housing rights, taking action this month to eliminate discriminatory practices by Capital Region landlords Greg and John Karian, and awarding $970,000 in grants to support fair housing enforcement in February. Last August, $400,000 in restitution was provided by Shamco Management Corp. to compensate low-income tenants in New York City for the use of illegal housing denial tactics. These efforts demonstrate James's continued commitment to addressing systemic inequities in the rental market, highlighting her role as a defender of fair housing in New York.
