A man infamous for being one of New York City’s worst landlords was punched in the face shortly after beginning his 60-day sentence at Rikers Island.
Daniel Ohebshalom, known as a “slum landlord” for forcing his tenants to live in abject misery, was hospitalized after the attack and may have broken his facial bones.
The attack happened around 12:15 a.m. Friday in the intake area of the Eric M. Taylor Center.
The day before, Ohebshalom had turned himself in to authorities after they issued a warrant for his arrest.
Ohebshalom had reportedly failed to make hundreds of court-ordered repairs to his Manhattan properties.
Daniel Ohebshalom was attacked by another Rikers Island inmate shortly after beginning his 60-day prison sentence
Ohebshalom was hospitalized after the attack and may have broken facial bones
After years of trying in vain to fine the slum lord, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development decided to increase the pressure and issue an arrest warrant for Ohebshalom.
The order stated that Ohebshalom and “its buildings have repeatedly appeared on lists of the worst landlords in New York City.”
The order continued that the “violations cited in the arrest warrant are extensive and involve serious, immediately dangerous conditions that threaten not only the residents’ quality of life, but also their health and safety.”
The deplorable conditions included “visible peeling lead paint, cockroach and mouse infestations, inadequate electrical service and mold.”
Officials hoped to use Ohebshalom as an example, a way to warn other insensitive landlords that their nefarious business practices will not go unpunished.
Ohebshalom was consistently ranked as one of the worst landlords in New York City
Its properties include peeling lead pain, cockroach and mouse infestations, inadequate electricity supply and mold
“The arrest warrant serves as a strong message to landlords that New York City will not tolerate housing violations or tenants forced to live in unsafe conditions.”
At its two buildings along West 170th Street, the city alleged that Ohebshalom and his company, Belmont Ventures LLC, committed 700 violations related to the health and safety of the buildings’ tenants.
‘We caught up with him. He faces $3 million in fines and penalties and 60 days in jail,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrion Jr.
Carrion called Ohebshalom “the worst landlord in New York City.” He’s not the only one who thinks this way. In December, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams named Ohebshalom, who had 3,293 open violations at the time, the worst landlord in New York City.
“The reason we are going after this man and his practices is because of the lives of the people who lived there. It’s terrible,” Carrion said.
In addition to his 60-day prison sentence, the landlord has been assessed $3 million in fines and penalties
The city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development decided to take the unusual step of issuing an arrest warrant for the landlord, hoping to bring him to justice.
“People are dealing with mold, leaks, vermin – rats and cockroaches – peeling paint, lead paint. Their children are exposed, seniors are exposed. It’s time to stop this nonsense,” Carrion continued.
After the warrant was issued for his arrest on March 8, Ohebshalom turned himself in at the Sherriff’s Office in New York City.
The landlord was then taken to Rikers Island to begin his sentence, but his visit was interrupted when he was attacked by another inmate.
Sources nearby NBC Do not believe that Ohebshalom was the target of the attack, as the attacker had threatened several other prisoners.