Against Bronx Landlord, Requiring Repairs and Financial Penalties
March 12, 2026
What you should know
- First-of-its-Kind Judgment Requires Maximum Civil Penalty and Repairs within One Month at 919 Prospect Avenue
NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Corporation Counsel Steve Banks announced a first-of-its-kind ruling in a case that the City brought against the owners of 919 Prospect Avenue in the South Bronx. The ruling, the first to impose the maximum penalties available under New York City’s Nuisance Abatement Law, will require the landlord to address the most severe of the building’s noncompliant conditions within two weeks, all noncompliant conditions within one month, and pay $1,000 for each day that a public nuisance has persisted — including a full retroactive penalty of $2,174,000.
“This judgment is a landmark victory not only for those who call 919 Prospect Ave home, but for tenants across the five boroughs who must contend with the daily misery, mistreatment and neglect of a bad landlord. Let the scale of this penalty show how seriously we take the threat of building mismanagement that put residents’ and neighbors’ health at risk,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect tenants across New York.”
“Every New Yorker has the right to a safe and well-maintained home. For far too long, the residents of 919 Prospect Avenue have been denied that right – and this judgment will finally turn the tide. The City’s actions in this case show how we can, and will, ensure that building owners are upholding their legal obligations, whether through building or housing code enforcement or legal action,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning.
“In the Mamdani administration, the Mayor of New York City is on tenants’ side. The tenants of 919 Prospect Avenue have fought for a livable home for more than a decade, and this victory is a turning point in that fight. We will leave no stone unturned in our work to create a city where every tenant can live in comfort and dignity,” said Cea Weaver, Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.
“The City will use every tool available to ensure tenants are protected and building owners comply with the law,” said New York City Corporation Counsel Steve Banks. “This court ruling not only helps us hold this one landlord accountable, it will also enhance our efforts to safeguard building residents in numerous other cases.”
“This court decision is an important step towards finally compelling the owners of 919 Prospect Avenue to live up to their legal responsibilities and make the building repairs needed to provide their tenants with a safe place to call home,” said Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “This major ruling sends a strong message that putting our fellow New Yorkers in harm’s way in their own homes is not acceptable. We are thankful to the Law Department for their dogged pursuit in this case.”
“Tenants should not have to live for years with conditions like unsafe electrical equipment, pests, or broken building systems because an owner refuses to make basic repairs,” said Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Dina Levy. “At HPD, we’re going to keep using every enforcement tool we have to make sure landlords meet their obligation to keep their buildings safe and livable.”
“Housing maintenance issues like peeling lead-paint and pest infestations aren’t just a public nuisance, but a threat to public health,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin. “We applaud Mayor Mamdani and Corporation Counsel Banks for their steadfast leadership in protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers and holding those responsible accountable.”
“Folks should have a community that they can be proud of and also need a home they can be proud of too. 919 Prospect Ave is an example of how bad things can get and it’s an unfortunate reality that many other buildings in my district are on the same track. We need to continue to hold bad landlords accountable and I’m proud to be working with an administration that is putting tenants first,” said Councilmember Justin Sanchez.
“TakeRoot Justice has been fighting alongside the tenants from 919 Prospect Ave since 2016 for the right to safe, dignified living conditions. This judgement is a sign of progress, and the tenants are hopeful, but it is important to highlight that this new administration has much work to do to enforce housing codes and hold slumlords accountable,” said Claribel Morales, Staff Attorney, and Nova Rivera, Advocacy Coordinator, TakeRoot Justice.
919 Prospect Avenue is an occupied, rent-stabilized building owned by Seth Miller, who has consistently been placed on the Public Advocate’s “Worst Landlords Watchlist,” and the associated building is currently part of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) Alternative Enforcement Program. At 919 Prospect Avenue, there are violations for a deteriorated facade, unsafe electrical equipment, obstructed fire escapes, an unsafe elevator, inoperable boiler, a partial vacate order, peeling lead-based paint, lack of self-closing doors, mice and roach infestations, and the failure to erect a necessary sidewalk shed.
After the City sought an injunction, a New York State Supreme Court Judge issued a Decision and Order granting the City’s motion to order the correction of code violations and abatement of all public nuisances at the premises, and the imposition of Nuisance Abatement Law penalties in the amount of $1,000 per day for each day the building had an open violation that rendered it a public nuisance – including full retroactive penalty of $2,174,000. The City’s motion was supported by building tenants represented by TakeRoot Justice who joined the City’s case. This judgment resulted from the city’s ramped-up, comprehensive enforcement against building owners who put tenants at risk, led by the Law Department in close cooperation with the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and numerous city agencies.