"The city jailed a landlord and took over his buildings. Not much changed."
"At 1422 Greene Avenue, tenants are paying the building’s gas bill, despite the landlord's time in jail. Other properties under Stark's ownership continue to suffer from neglect and poor living conditions."
After spending eight days in Rikers Island in 2023 for failing to respond to court orders to make repairs, landlord Aron Stark's properties in Bushwick continue to be plagued with issues, despite the city taking over control of the buildings.
Tenants at 1422 Greene Avenue are now paying the gas bill themselves, despite Stark's supposed ownership of the building. At 1335 Hancock Street, residents went five months without hot water earlier this year. And at 1339 Hancock Street, a broken lock requires a metal bar to keep the door open.
Despite his time in jail and the city's intervention, Stark has not improved the living conditions for his tenants. Many believe he has abandoned his properties and left them to deteriorate.
As one tenant at 1335 Hancock Street stated, "It's like we're living in a third world country. We pay rent and we don't get basic services or repairs." Another tenant at 1422 Greene Avenue added, "We're paying for the gas, we're doing everything, and he's doing nothing."
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development has taken over control of Stark's properties, but it is unclear when or if they will be returned to his ownership. In the meantime, tenants continue to suffer from neglect and poor living conditions.
https://therealdeal.com/magazine/october-2025/the-city-jailed-a-landlord-and-took-over-his-buildings-not-much-changed/