A building owner failed to convince a Manhattan judge Wednesday to scrap the city’s list of “100 Worst Landlords” — that includes him at No. 34.
Kamran Hakim, who racked up 565 violations at seven buildings, argued he shouldn’t be on the list because his two structures with the most infractions are vacant.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Carol Edmead disagreed.
“A violation in a vacant building doesn’t make it less of a violation,” Edmead said, citing the still-present potential hazards to first-responders and squatters.
The judge refused to grant Hakim’s request to remove the watch list from the Web site NYC.gov, at least for now. She is still reviewing his overall case against Public Advocate Letitia James, whose office compiles the list. His suit includes a $15 million defamation claim.
James said in a statement after the ruling that “landlords have a responsibility to ensure that buildings are clear of violations regardless of occupancy status.” She also noted that “eviction tactics and warehousing to deregulate units” are making many neighborhoods less affordable.
Hakim’s lawyer, Darren Marks, declined to say whether he’ll appeal the judge’s ruling.