Housing court cases in New York rarely end with a ride to Rikers Island, but that is exactly what happened to Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement President and CEO Malcolm Punter last week. A housing court judge ordered him jailed after finding that his nonprofit had failed to complete court-ordered repairs at a 22-unit building on West 114th Street. Court filings show he spent a night on Rikers before being released.
According to Gothamist, Judge Leslie Granger signed the jail order after earlier judges concluded the owner had not cured dozens of violations and had already been hit with civil penalties. The outlet also reported that the tenant who brought the case pays $747 a month in rent and that the building receives a property-tax break worth more than $800,000 a year. Gothamist noted that HCCI posted a written statement on April 15 backing Punter.
How the Case Reached Contempt
A court decision shows that tenant Juliet Prioleau filed an order to show cause on January 28, 2025, alleging mold, sewage backups and infestations in her unit. The court issued a default order that listed 43 violations tied to the apartment.
In May 2025, the court granted a motion imposing civil penalties totaling $205,380. When the violations still were not resolved, judges later moved the case into contempt proceedings, escalating pressure on the owner to comply with the repair orders.
Nonprofit's Portfolio and the Building's History
HCCI manages dozens of properties across Central Harlem and, according to HCCI, has developed thousands of affordable units while leveraging significant public and private funding for neighborhood projects. Property records indicate that HCCI took ownership of 306 West 114th Street from the city's housing agency in 1999 and operates the address through a subsidiary, Parkside Plaza Associates LP.
Orders, Fines and the Arrest Warrant
The housing court issued contempt orders that included prospective fines intended to push the owner into compliance rather than serve purely as punishment. When that pressure still did not clear the violations, the judge approved a warrant that made the threat very real.
A warrant signed April 1 directed sheriffs to transport the named officer to Rikers Island if the contempt was not purged. The arrest warrant is filed in the case docket.
Tenant's Account and Neighbors' Frustration
Prioleau told Gothamist that she and her neighbors had long complained about mold, sewage coming up through sinks, rats and cockroaches, and that management's repairs were often superficial. She said she ultimately moved into a CUNY dorm while attending John Jay College to get away from the conditions in the building.
The city's housing agency has also sued the building owner over recent heat and hot water outages, and officials say enforcement actions remain underway. For tenants who say they have been living with unsafe conditions for years, the arrest is a rare but highly visible enforcement step, and it leaves open questions about who will cover the cost of full repairs and how long-term oversight will be handled.
