By Naeisha Rose
Flushing, Jamaica Hills, Jamaica and Long Island City are home to the top 10 worst landlords in the borough, according to a 2017 Watchlist released by the public advocate.
“The Worst Landlords Watchlist is a powerful tool to put these unscrupulous landlords on notice and gives tenants the tools to hold them accountable,” said Public Advocate Letitia James.
Hillside House Management, which topped the list as the worst landlord in Queens, had five violations from the city’s Department of Buildings, according to the data. In the northeast section of Queens seven landlords in Flushing had 1,217 violations from the city’s Housing Preservation and Development wing.
The landlords in Flushing on the list include Nada Gracin (2), Lucia Chiao (3), Rebecca Cerecedo (4), William Niarakis (7), Michael Cantasano (9), and Norman Mirsky (10)
One of the landlords, James Yoo (8), had a tax lien in the past two years at the residential space he rented to tenants on 63-69 110 St.
The highest HPD abuses were in southeast Queens at Hillside House Management Co., located at 87-40 165 St. in Jamaica Hills. The company, which manages 119 units, had 383 violations, according to landl
The other southeast Queens landlord to make the top 10 of worst landlords in the borough was Jennifer Adjara, who was No. 5 on the list. Her rental property is located at 106-43 156 St. in Jamaica. There were 162 HPD violations at the place she manages, according to the watchlist.
Northwestern Queens had one landlord in the top 10, Ronald Swartz (6), who manages 41 units at 34-01 Ave. in Long Island City, according to the list.
In all, there were 1,919 violations in Flushing, Jamaica Hills, Jamaica and Long Island City. In total, the landlords manage 351 units.
“No New Yorker should be subjected to live in a hazardous home, yet bad landlords in our city are forcing too many tenants to live in dangerous and indecent conditions,” James said.
To make the list landlords with fewer than 35 units must have an average of at least three open and serious violations per unit, according to the list criteria. Those with more must have at least two open violations that are serious per unit.
“We will continue to identify the worst abusers of tenants and take on practices that deny working families a chance to simply live in safe, decent housing,” James said.
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose
