Landlord Fined $47,400 for Illegally Converting Two-Family to Six SRO Units

DOB issued violation notices to landlord for converting a two-family house to six SRO units. Landlord claimed that she hadn't changed the building since buying it in 2014. She claimed that she lived on the first floor and landlord's relatives lived on the second floor. But landlord submitted photographs showing that there were locks on room doors. DOB submitted a number of photographs documenting its claim. The ALJ ruled against landlord and fined her $47,400, which included daily penalties. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord, a Mandarin Chinese speaker, claimed that she wasn't provided with sufficient language assistance services at the ECB hearing. ECB ruled against landlord, whose attorney didn't claim that alleged language deficiencies caused the ALJ to rule incorrectly. And the ALJ had adjourned the hearing at least once to permit landlord to obtain an attorney.

Zhao: ECB App. No. 1700674 (8/3/17) [4-pg. doc.]