Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams has released the 2022 edition of the “Worst Landlord Watchlist,” which identifies “which residential property owners consistently flout City laws intended to protect the rights and safety of tenants.”
According to the report – which ranks landlords “based on the average number of open housing code violations issued to their buildings by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)” – the city’s worst landlord is Jonathan Santana.
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Santana owns 15 buildings with 306 units and has an average of 2,980 open HPD violations.
Two of his buildings are on the Upper East Side:
1585 Third Avenue (corner of East 89th Street)
(Google Maps)
This four-floor walk-up rental building has an alternate address of 201 East 89th Street. It has 14 apartments and had an average of 151 open HPD violations throughout 2022.
In the past three years, the most common complaints from tenants have been about heat and hot water, plumbing and water leaks. This month, there have been two complaints about heat and hot water.
Currently, there’s a one-bedroom available in the building for $2,750.
338 East 61st Street (between First and Second avenues)
(Google Maps)
This is a five-story rental building with 20 apartments. Throughout 2022, it had an average of 78 open HPD violations.
In the past three years, the most common complaints from tenants have been about heat and hot water, plumbing, and door and window issues. There have been eight complaints this month alone, seven of which were about heat and hot water. One complaint was about a broken step.
The last available rental was a one-bedroom which was listed at $2,395.
According to Streeteasy, both of Santana’s Upper East Side buildings are rented out by Highline Residential.
Santana’s building with the most violations appears to be in Queens.
