Landlord Illegally Converted Two-Family House to SRO Units

DOB issued a violation notice to landlord for illegally altering a two-family dwelling. The Certificate of Occupancy permitted one apartment on each of two floors, plus a boiler room, storage, kitchen, and bathroom in the cellar. DOB's inspector cited two locked SRO units on the second floor and a separate apartment in the basement. Landlord denied the charge. The ALJ ruled against landlord and fined him $5,300. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord claimed that one family occupied the second floor. But landlord offered no lease or other documentary proof. The inspector saw a common area with a kitchen and bathroom on the second floor, next to two rooms that each had key locking devices on their doors and contained clothing, beds, TVs, toiletries, and other personal effects. One of these rooms also had a refrigerator and food.

Yu-Yung Liu: ECB App. No. 45732 (5/7/09) [3-pg. doc.]