NYC Worst Landlord Watchlist in 2023 has the most violations in history: public advocate

NEW YORK (PIX11) – The annual list of worst landlords in New York City was released Wednesday and 2023 racked up the most violations in its history, according to New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.  

The “Worst Landlord Watchlist” spotlights owners who neglect their properties in New York City. The worst landlords are determined by the number of housing violations.  

For 2023, Jonathan Santana was at the top of the list yet again. Santana is the designated head officer for Daniel Ohebshalom, according to records. In 2022, Santana and Ohebshalom also claimed the No.1 spot. 

David Tennenbaum, who took the third spot in 2022, racked up more violations and was ranked second in 2023.  

Sima Abdavies kept the fourth spot for 2023 with 1,372 violations.  

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has a combined 596,000 open work orders as of October 2023, making it the worst overall landlord for thousands of New Yorkers. 

The worst landlord list is made through open violations, which are compiled and categorized by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Issues can include heat and hot water outages, rodent infestation, and deteriorating infrastructure. 

The top 10 worst landlords amassed more than 15,000 housing violations combined.

Below is the 2023 Worst Landlord Watchlist: