NYC's Worst Landlord Ordered To Fix 4 Brooklyn Buildings: HPD

BROOKLYN, NY — A notorious landlord who has been the subject of rent strikes in Crown Heights has been ordered to fix four of his Brooklyn properties in a new settlement with the city, officials announced.

Jason Korn, who topped the Worst Landlord Watchlist two years in a row, agreed in a settlement with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to pay $235,000 in civil penalties for building violations and tenant harassment at six of his buildings, including four in Brooklyn.

Korn had been falsely certifying that he fixed violations while tenants dealt with roaches, mice, lead-based paint, water leaks and other "gross building neglect," officials said.

As part of the settlement, Korn must fix all outstanding violations at the buildings within 90 days, HPD officials said.

“Landlords have a responsibility to provide safe housing for their tenants and when they fail to meet that responsibility, there needs to be consequences,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “Even while we offer assistance to tenants and landlords who are struggling to maintain their properties, landlords should know that HPD will also use the full weight of its enforcement capabilities if they repeatedly fail to uphold their obligation to ensure that New Yorkers live in safe and secure housing.”

The agreement comes after HPD investigators visited the buildings more than 35 times to document hundreds of violations, officials said.

As of Monday, there were nearly 300 open violations at the Brooklyn buildings alone, which are found on Avenue I, Ocean Avenue and East 17th and 29th streets, HPD data shows. Both of the Manhattan buildings included in the settlement are found on Nagle Avenue in Inwood.

Korn owns a total of 10 buildings on the Public Advocate's most recent "watchlist" and was the subject of an average of 1,822 violations.

John Bianco, an attorney representing Korn, has contended problems with HPD's monitoring system and an "unfair methodology" by the Public Advocate are what led to Korn's spot on the list.

He said Monday that Korn had already been working on fixing many of the violations included in the settlement. HPD's finding that Korn had been falsely certifying repairs stems from cases where inspectors couldn't get into apartments to check on conditions, thus leaving violations marked open, he claimed.

"We’re confident Mr. Korn will no longer be on the watchlist in the upcoming years — most of these violations have already been removed and a good portion of the fines already paid," Bianco said. "...This [settlement] was in everybody’s best interest to try and move forward."

In Crown Heights, tenants have most recently spoken out about Korn from one of his buildings on Crown Street. Last year, tenants from his 1616 President St. building began a rent strike due to deteriorating conditions.

HPD said Monday they will continue to monitor the buildings included in the settlement and will go after Korn for additional penalties should he not correct the violations in the 90 day time period.