Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has made it an annual tradition to shine a spotlight on the worst offenders in the New York City real estate market with his "100 Worst Landlords in NYC" list. According to CBS News New York, topping this year's lineup are Margaret Brunn and Donald Hastings of A&E Real Estate Holdings, notorious for amassing more violations than ever recorded on the list's history.
While shedding light on the conditions many New Yorkers face, Williams indicated, "Each hazardous violation on the Worst Landlord Watchlist, each building in disrepair, each landlord putting profit over people, represents New Yorkers suffering in their homes." In response, with a recent settlement mandating repairs, A&E Real Estate asserted they've "invested over $800 million across our portfolio to improve the quality of our housing," as obtained by CBS News New York. To see the full list of landlords, click here.
The Public Advocate's campaign against negligent landlords aligns with Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration and its commitment to housing justice. Williams expressed optimism about systemic change, stating, "With the resources of the city and the energy of tenants fed up with dangerous conditions and rising rents, we can overhaul not only buildings, but the entire system that has created this housing crisis," as mentioned on CBS News New York.
Despite the individual landlords listed, Williams did not shy away from addressing city-run housing issues. Highlighted as the source of a vast number of open work orders, the New York City Housing Authority, or NYCHA, looms as an overarching problem. "Perpetual mismanagement of NYCHA has made the city itself the worst overall landlord for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers," as Williams described in a recap of the accommodation conundrum. This assessment was echoed by PIX11, reinforcing the unenviable status of the city's own role in the housing crisis.
Landlords had their say in the matter as well. Joseph Cafiero, ranked fourth, defended his company's involvement, explaining to CBS News New York, "My company is actually hired under a court order receivership for properties that are in foreclosure... We quickly address all heat and hot water issues and all life safety issues."
