Mamdani Vows to Crack Down on 'Bad Landlords' in New York City

Mayor's new tenant advocacy forums aim to identify negligent property owners, but complex LLC structures make it difficult to hold them accountable.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:22pm

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A high-contrast, silkscreen-style grid of a leaky faucet in neon green, pink, and blue, conceptually representing the housing maintenance issues faced by tenants dealing with unresponsive landlords.As corporate landlords increasingly shield their identities behind LLCs, New York City's efforts to crack down on negligent property owners face structural obstacles.NYC Today

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has launched a series of 'rental rip-off hearings' where tenants can directly voice their complaints about poor living conditions and unresponsive landlords to housing officials. However, the growing use of limited liability companies (LLCs) by landlords to obscure their identities is complicating the mayor's promised crackdown on negligent property owners.

Why it matters

Mamdani was elected on a platform of zealous tenant advocacy, vowing to 'hold landlords accountable' for housing code violations and even seize properties from the worst offenders. But the rise of corporate landlords and investor groups shielding their identities behind LLCs makes it harder for the city and tenants to identify and target the 'bad landlords' the mayor has pledged to go after.

The details

Tenants of a Bronx apartment building described a litany of issues, including frequent heat and hot water outages, filthy common areas, and pest infestations. However, they struggled to determine the actual owner of their building, which is managed by an individual named Binyomin Herzl. Lawsuits show Herzl has been ordered to pay over $100,000 in fines for code violations across multiple Bronx properties, some of which were deemed an 'imminent hazard.' The true owner, David Kleiner, has also previously appeared on the city's 'worst landlord' list. Herzl claimed the buildings have multiple 'investors' rather than a single owner.

  • The 'rental rip-off hearings' launched by Mayor Mamdani are a new, ongoing forum for tenants to air their grievances.
  • Tenants of the Bronx building recently discovered clues about their landlord's identity after another Bronx building partially collapsed.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City, who was elected on a platform of zealous tenant advocacy and vowed to crack down on negligent landlords.

Binyomin Herzl

The building manager for the Bronx apartment building, who has been ordered to pay over $100,000 in fines for code violations across multiple properties.

David Kleiner

The partial owner of the Bronx apartment building, who has previously appeared on the city's 'worst landlord' list.

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What they’re saying

“It feels like such a basic question. You'd think we'd have the right to that information.”

— Ann Maitin, Longtime resident of the Bronx apartment building

“This felt like a home before. Now they treat us the same as the rats.”

— Tommy Rodriguez, Tenant of the Bronx apartment building

“Our buildings look like five star hotels against his.”

— Binyomin Herzl, Building manager

What’s next

Mayor Mamdani has proposed using fines and liens to bring distressed rental properties under city stewardship, but the process is legally complex due to the use of LLCs by landlords. State legislation that would have made it easier to identify LLC owners was recently vetoed by the governor.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges facing tenant advocates and city officials in holding negligent landlords accountable, as the rise of corporate ownership and the use of LLCs make it increasingly difficult to identify and target the worst offenders. Mamdani's promised crackdown on 'bad landlords' may be hindered by these structural obstacles.