A Brooklyn landlord faces criminal charges for allegedly driving tenants out of rent-regulated apartments by doing construction and demolition at his building and shutting off the heat, authorities said Wednesday.
The indictment charges Daniel Melamed with three counts of unlawfully evicting tenants from rent-regulated apartments, endangering the welfare of a child and filing a false document.
Authorities allege the landlord illegally shut off heat to rent regulated tenants, even when outdoor temperatures fell below freezing, exposed tenants to lead dust that were up to 88 times higher than permissible levels, and destroyed interior walls and common spaces creating fire hazards.
They also allege Melamed filed false documents with the city Department of Buildings, stating the building was vacant when all units were occupied, to avoid submitting a plan to ensure tenant safety during construction. He bought the building in 2012 and owns and manages six others in the city, according to the attorney general's office.
Tenant Simone London, who lives in the building with her 6-year-old son, told NBC 4 New York, "Now we have justice."
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Mayor de Blasio say the Crown Heights landlord's arrest Wednesday is the first to come from a joint task force to prevent tenant harassment. The task force was launched in February to inspect properties that have been the subject of harassment complaints.
Melamed pleaded not guilty Wednesday. His attorney declines to comment on what he calls "political grandstanding."
Local
-Gus Rosendale contributed to this report
