We are breathing black odor, some tenants cancer

The commissioner of the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the tenants of two buildings in upper Manhattan are fed up with the excuses of the owner, Daniel Ohebshalom, whom a list published by the ombudsman calls the worst landlord in New York, so as not to repair their properties.

“They left the garbage scattered. About the truck, I went out to collect it and sweep it every day because there was no one to do anything in this building, the mice, the black water that is throughout the building, rotten and there are ten empty, abandoned apartments “Criminals go in to smoke marijuana. They also go to the basement to sleep,” said tenant Venecia Pichardo.

Having lived at 709 West 170th Street for 44 years, Venice is not the only one complaining about neglect, dirt and insecurity. Their neighbors are concerned about the health effects of unattended buildings on residents.

Sonia Peralta says that the boiler emits toxic substances whose traces she showed us.

“We are breathing this black odor and there are some tenants with cancer. We have had many allergies, pneumonia, bronchitis. We have had Cain’s experience here,” said Peralta.

The two adjacent properties alone, among dozens of others owned by him, have accumulated 700 Department of Buildings violations. Conditions are reported as dangerous inside and outside the apartments.

“There they had to put a roof on the city so that people wouldn’t fall and a piece of roof wouldn’t fall on top of people,” Pichardo added.

To make matters worse, tenants report systematic abuse and intimidation by Ohebshalom.

“Charging me rent, repeating the same papers, repeating the same thing on each paper, that is, they reached an amount of 7,000 dollars and I told them ‘but I have all the receipts here’. I called them and they didn’t pay attention” said Pichardo.

As a result of his contempt of the Housing Court order, Ohebshalom could spend up to 60 days behind bars, in addition to paying $3 million for his negligence and an additional $1 million for tenant harassment. He is allegedly in California and the city is already processing his extradition.

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