New York Building Mamdani Used to Highlight New Housing Chief's Work Has 194 Violations, Report Claims

A report has claimed that the apartment complex used by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani to highlight the work of his new Housing chief was found to have almost 200 violations. The report claimed that a nonprofit that used the apartment complex was responsible for the neglect and deteriorating conditions of the building.

According to documents obtained by the New York Post, the apartment complex at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in Morris Heights has 194 open-housing code violations going as far back as 2016. A shocking 88 of the 194 violations are labelled 'Class C' violations, which are considered 'immediately hazardous.' These meant the building has rodent and roach infestations, broken doors and refrigerators, and mould.

New Housing Chief Appointed Amid Controversy

Mamdani used the building as the venue to officially appoint Levy, a longtime tenants' rights advocate and former state housing official, as the Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner on 4 January. When asked for the reasoning behind his decision to appoint Levy as the Housing chief, Mamdani explained that Levy has nonprofit experience in building and overseeing affordable housing, which aligns with his agenda.

'Levy is an experienced and fearless housing leader, and I know that she will fight to protect tenants and tackle our housing crisis head-on,' said Mamdani, in his introduction of Levy. 'Too many New Yorkers have been forced to pay more for less – living in unsafe, unconscionable, and unaffordable housing. Under my administration, that ends.'

Ironically, in 2011, Levy helped oversee a deal for nonprofit organisation Workforce Housing Advisors to purchase and renovate the apartment complex from private landlords. Mamdani recalled Levy's efforts in taking out a $5.6 million (estimated over £4.1 million) HPD loan that she and her nonprofit, the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, to stabilise the building's finances and maintain its affordability.

'Dina will no longer be petitioning HPD from the outside,' said Mamdani. 'She will now be leading it from the inside, delivering the kind of change that can transform lives.'

The Housing Violations

The outlet found that the Class C violations in the Morris Heights apartment complex was more than double the number of similar violations at 85 Clarkson Avenue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Mamdani previously showcased the Prospect Heights building as a shining example of everything that is wrong with the subsidised housing stock.

However, according to some tenants, the conditions are better under the former landlord. Mordistine Alexander, who resides in one of the building's units, said she preferred how the previous landlord managed the building. Alexander, who has been living in the building for more than 20 years, said the private management would screen people going in and out.

Alexander said her unit often lacks hot water and heating, a crumbling bathroom and kitchen facade, and the windows need replacing. She also shared that she has been without kitchen lights for months, despite having put in a request for replacements in October 2025. As for the rodent infestation, Alexander said she has had to take matters into her own hands as she could no longer wait for the Workforce Housing Advisors to respond.

'The building has deteriorated,' said Alexander. 'They lack porters. No one is maintaining it, and the complaints fall on deaf ears – especially if you complain a lot.'