A notorious New York City landlord turned himself in to the city’s sheriff on Thursday to begin a two-month jail sentence after blowing off a judge’s orders to correct a raft of hazards at two Upper Manhattan apartment buildings he owns.
Daniel Ohebshalom was found in contempt of court earlier this month for failing for years to fix hundreds of alleged violations both Washington Heights buildings, where tenants have faced crumbling ceilings, chronic vermin infestations and lead paint on the walls, according to city housing records. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development first sued Ohebshalom for needed repairs in the buildings in 2021.
“The ongoing conditions that the tenants of the subject premises have had to endure, have remained uncorrected since November of 2022, at least 16 months before this writing, and often longer,” Manhattan Judge Jack Stoller said in his contempt order on March 8.
A spokesperson for Sheriff Anthony Miranda said Ohebshalom, who lives in California, turned himself in at the sheriff’s Manhattan office at 3 p.m. Thursday, nearly two weeks after his arrest warrant was issued. Ohebshalom lost a motion to dismiss the arrest on Tuesday, court records show.
His attorney did not respond to phone calls or emails seeking comment on his arrest.
It is unclear where Ohebshalom will serve his 60-day sentence. The city’s Department of Correction said he was not yet in their custody, and the sheriff’s spokesperson said they were still determining where he will be held.
The landlord can leave jail early if he corrects the alleged violations in the two buildings, Stoller said.
Ashley Viruet, an attorney with the nonprofit Legal Services NYC who is representing the tenants in the two complexes, located on West 170th Street, said the living conditions show why Ohebshalom was ranked first on the New York City public advocate’s most recent annual “worst landlords” list.
“The building is still in shambles,” Viruet said earlier…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply