Landlord Fined $7,500 for Facade Violations

DOB issued violation notices to landlord for failing to maintain a building in a safe and code-compliant manner. The violations concerned a missing drain spout, defective coping stone on the parapet, missing mortar, a brick chimney leaning out of plumb, and failure to maintain unobstructed egress on the fire escape because of a third-floor window air conditioner. DOB also issued additional violation notices because landlord hadn't corrected conditions listed in earlier violation notices. Landlord claimed that some of the conditions had been corrected and disputed that the brickwork was bulging. She also claimed that there was no fire escape blockage on the third floor because the building had only two stories. The ALJ ruled against landlord and fined her $7,500. Landlord appealed and lost. The violation notices were properly posted at the building. Landlord didn't present valid defenses to the violations. And the mistaken identification of the air conditioner location as the third floor instead of the second floor was minor and didn't warrant dismissal of that violation. 

Derby: ECB App. No. 1801930 (4/4/19) [3-pg. doc.]