The Website of Shame: Is Your Landlord on It?

It is a list of dubious distinction and more than 150 New York City landlords are on it.

It is called NYC's Worst Landlords Watch List. New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio created the new website that lists the names of building owners whose properties have so many open violations, he says living in them is dangerous.

"No hot water, ceilings that have fallen in, fire escapes that are blocked, mold to the point that people have gone to the hospital with respiratory conditions," de Blasio says are just some of the problems tenants in those buildings are facing daily.

The website lists 153 landlords, owning 164 buildings in New York City, and more than 4,500 tenants living in those buildings.

At the top of the list is Alan Fein of Cherokee Partners in the Bronx.  According to the website, he owns 1553 Bryant Avenue. The city says that property has more than 1,000 open violations. 

Problems include "rats, no hot water [and] the halls are always dirty," one tenant told NBCNewYork.

At Cherokee Partners' office in the Bronx a man who did not give his name said, "No comment," when asked about the company being on the list.

De Blasio says while he hopes the embarrassment of being on the website gives owners a reason to fix up their buildings, he says the list  will also make it easier for the city to go after the ones who don't. 

"It's not acceptable in the city for landlords to continue to treat their tenants unfairly and to have them live in unsafe conditions," de Blasio said.
 

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