MAMDANI ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES STRICTER ENFORCEMENT FOR CITY’S 250 MOST DISTRESSED APARTMENT BUILDINGS

 

Through the Alternative Enforcement Program, the city will increase monitoring and make repairs when landlords fail to act   

TODAY, New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Dina Levy released an updated list of the 250 buildings with the most severe housing code violations citywide, placing them under heightened oversight through the Alternative Enforcement Program (AEP).   

  

AEP, now in its 19th year, allows the city to closely monitor repeat offenders, conduct more frequent inspections, issue Orders to Correct and step in directly to make repairs when owners fail to do so, billing landlords for the cost. The 250 buildings selected this year account for nearly 55,000 open violations and owe the city nearly $4.5 million for emergency repairs already performed.    

  

The updated AEP list builds on the Mamdani administration’s commitment to ensuring every New Yorker has a safe, stable, and well-maintained home. Last month, HPD announced a $2.1 million settlement with A&E Real Estate Holdings covering 14 buildings – the largest ever won by HPD’s Anti-Harassment Unit – requiring extensive repairs, compliance with Orders to Correct and injunctions barring tenant harassment.  

  

During the ongoing cold emergency, HPD has also treated this winter conditions as an all-hands-on-deck effort, maximizing staffing to respond to approximately 37,000 complaints in January and closing 98% of them as of Feb. 4.  

  

“In our first month in office, we’ve been clear: New York will no longer look the other way while bad landlords put tenants at risk. The Alternative Enforcement Program gives us the power to closely monitor repeat offenders and step in to fix conditions when landlords refuse to do their jobs,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “We’ll use every tool we have to protect New Yorkers’ homes and make safe, dignified housing non-negotiable.”  

  

“With this update to the Alternative Enforcement Program, we will be able to take decisive action to ensure that repairs are made in the buildings where they are most needed. I’m grateful to the HPD team for their ongoing work to protect tenants and ensure homes are safe and livable,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning.  

  

“Every New Yorker deserves a safe and well-maintained place to rest, raise their family, and sleep at night. The updated AEP round is an important milestone as the city stands shoulder to shoulder with tenants to deliver high quality, affordable homes,” said Cea Weaver, Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.  

  

“This administration will not back away from protecting tenants or enforcing the Housing Maintenance Code. Today, we are naming the 250 buildings entering HPD’s Alternative Enforcement Program. When landlords refuse to do their job, the city will intervene, advances critical repairs, and recover costs from owners,” said Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Dina Levy. “We want to make it abundantly clear: landlords who repeatedly fail their tenants will be held accountable.”  

  

The 250 buildings selected for this year’s AEP list include 7,038 homes and account for 54,909 open housing code violations, reflecting widespread and persistent disrepair. The building with the most open “B” and “C” violations issued over the past five years – more than 1,000 of the most serious violations – is 34-15 Parsons Blvd., registered to an LLC within the A&E Real Estate Holdings portfolio. 

  

Building owners on this year’s AEP round owe the city nearly $4.5 million for failing to correct critical violations, triggering emergency interventions by HPD. Additionally, HPD’s Housing Litigation Division is a party to action against the owners of 138 buildings in housing court to force compliance.   

  

About the Alternative Enforcement Program (AEP)  

  

The AEP program targets buildings with serious, unresolved violations that indicate landlords are failing to maintain basic living conditions. Each year, HPD designates a new round of buildings for AEP based on excessive housing code violations which directly impact tenants’ well-being, and landlords are required to repay the city for any emergency repairs HPD completes. Building owners can be discharged from AEP within months if they quickly resolve violations and settle outstanding emergency repair charges or enter a payment agreement with the City. If an owner fails to comply, HPD may escalate enforcement by taking legal action in Housing Court. HPD monitors buildings discharged from AEP for at least one year to ensure conditions remain stable, and re-selection for future AEP rounds can trigger immediate enforcement measures.  

Nigerian National Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Prison for Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Inheritance Fraud Scheme

 

A Nigerian National was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for participating in a years-long conspiracy to defraud elderly and vulnerable Americans through an inheritance fraud scheme.

According to court documents, Tochukwu Albert Nnebocha, 44, of Nigeria, and his co-conspirators operated a lucrative transnational inheritance fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable people in the United States. Over the course of more than seven years, Nnebocha and his co-conspirators sent hundreds of thousands of personalized letters to elderly individuals in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left by a deceased family member. The conspirators then told the victims that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for purported delivery fees, taxes, and payments regarding the inheritance. In total, the defendant and his co-conspirators defrauded over 400 U.S. victims of more than $6 million.

In April 2025, Nnebocha was arrested by authorities in Poland and extradited to the United States in September 2025. In November 2025, Nnebocha pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. At sentencing, Nnebocha was sentenced to 97 months in prison, 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay more than $6.8 million in restitution to the victims of his scheme. This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Eight co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme.  

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Miami Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede of the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) in Arizona made the announcement.

USPIS and HSI investigated the case. 

Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Joshua D. Rothman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) worked with law enforcement partners in Poland to secure the arrest and extradition of Nnebocha.   OIA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the FBI’s Legal Attache in Poland, INTERPOL, and Polish Authorities, all provided critical assistance.

If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

Attorney General James Announces Conviction of NYPD Sergeant on Manslaughter Charge

 

Sgt. Erik Duran Threw a Cooler at Eric Duprey, Causing His Death

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the conviction of New York City Police Department (NYPD) Sergeant Erik Duran, 38, of Putnam County, on the charge of Manslaughter in the Second Degree. On August 23, 2023, Sgt. Duran, a member of the NYPD Narcotics Borough Bronx (NBBX) Tactical Response Unit, forcefully threw a cooler at Eric Duprey, 30, as he was driving a motorized scooter, causing Mr. Duprey’s death.

Sgt. Duran was found guilty in a bench trial before Judge Guy Mitchell in Bronx Supreme Court. He is due back in court for sentencing on March 19, 2026. Manslaughter in the Second Degree carries a maximum sentence of 5 to 15 years in prison. Judge Guy Mitchell set bail at $300,000 bond or $500,000 partially secured bond, with $300,000 cash alternative.

“I offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Eric Duprey,” said Attorney General James. “Though it cannot return Eric to his loved ones, today’s decision gives justice to his memory.”

Pursuant to New York Executive Law Section 70-b, the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Office of Special Investigation (OSI) assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person, by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

Governor Hochul Signs Medical Aid in Dying Act into New York State Law

Legislation S.138/A.136 Gives New Yorkers the Choice to Suffer Less – to Shorten Not Their Lives, but Their Deaths

Governor Hochul Secured Key Additional Guardrails Ensuring Integrity of Patient Decision and Preparedness of Medical Institutions

Governor Hochul signed legislation S.138/A.136 that will allow medical aid in dying to be available to terminally ill New Yorkers with less than six months to live. This historic bill signing comes after careful reflection and deliberation with the sponsors of the bill, advocacy organizations, and everyday New Yorkers brave enough to share their personal experiences in order to get this legislation across the finish line.

“Our state will always stand firm in safeguarding New Yorkers' freedoms and right to bodily autonomy, which includes the right for the terminally ill to peacefully and comfortably end their lives with dignity and compassion,” Governor Hochul said. “This journey was deeply personal for me. Witnessing my mother's suffering from ALS was an excruciating experience, knowing there was nothing I could do to alleviate the pain of someone I loved. It took years of intimate discussions with our bill sponsors, health experts, advocates, and most importantly, families who have similar firsthand experiences. New Yorkers deserve the choice to endure less suffering, not by shortening their lives, but by shortening their deaths — I firmly believe we made the right decision.”

The bill, as passed by the Legislature originally included a number of protections in order to ensure that no patient was coerced into choosing medical aid in dying and that no health care professional or religiously affiliated health facility would be forced to offer medical aid in dying. The Governor worked with the Legislature to include additional guardrails that will make sure people won’t be taken advantage of, while still ensuring terminally ill New Yorkers have the choice to die comfortably and on their own terms, including:

• A mandatory waiting period of 5 days between when a prescription is written and filled.
• An oral request by the patient for medical aid in dying must be recorded by video or audio.
• A mandatory mental health evaluation of the patient seeking medical aid in dying by a psychologist or psychiatrist.
• A prohibition against anyone who may benefit financially from the death of a patient from being eligible to serve as a witness to the oral request or an interpreter for the patient.
• Limiting the availability of medical aid in dying to New York residents.
• Requiring that the initial evaluation of a patient by a physician be in person.
• Allowing religiously-oriented home hospice providers to opt out of offering medical aid in dying.
• Ensuring that a violation of the law is defined as professional misconduct under the Education Law.
• Extending the effective date of the bill to six months after signing to allow the Department of Health to put into place regulations required to implement the law while also ensuring that health care facilities can properly prepare and train staff for compliance.

Office of the New York State Comptroller Dinapoli - Weekly News: Bullying and Drug-Related Incidents in Schools on the Rise:

Bullying and Drug-Related Incidents in Schools on the Rise

A report by Comptroller DiNapoli found bullying and drug-related incidents statewide are on the rise, even exceeding pre-pandemic highs, while the rates for the number of serious violent and disruptive incidents remained near zero even after students returned to in-school instruction, and have stayed low. The report examined seven years of data from the New York State Education Department’s School Safety and Educational Climate report.

“Reliable public data about school safety is critical and informs where we need to address problems and identify solutions,” DiNapoli said. “This report builds on my office’s previous work examining violent and disruptive incidents in our schools. It’s disturbing to see the rise in bullying and drug-related incidents. We need to do everything we can to make sure students and teachers feel safe and this data shows there is more to do inside and outside our schools to meet these goals.”

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Local Sales Tax Collections Grew in 2025

Local government sales tax collections in New York state totaled $24.4 billion in calendar year 2025, an increase of 4.5%, or $1 billion, from 2024, according to a report released by Comptroller DiNapoli. Growth in 2025 was higher than the 3.8% average annual growth rate from the 2010 to 2019 period of recovery following the Great Recession and before the pandemic. 

“Local sales tax growth ticked up last year,” said DiNapoli. “However, with the potential for policy changes at the federal level to affect every level of government funding, as well as the continued impact of tariffs, local officials must budget carefully to safeguard the services their communities rely on.”

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A G E N C Y   A U D I T S

• Department of Financial Services – Virtual Currency Licensing (Follow-Up)
• Department of Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene – Oversight of the Practice of Funeral Directing
• Workers’ Compensation Board – Assessment of Costs to Administer the Workers’ Compensation Program for the State Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2024
• Office of Mental Health – Controls Over the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (Follow-Up)
• New York City Department of Transportation – New York City Bike Share Program: Oversight of Revenue Collection and Monitoring
• New York Power Authority – Selected Management and Operations Practices – BuildSmart NY/Executive Order 88
• State University of New York – Oversight of Study Abroad Programs
• Department of Health: Medicaid Program – Improper Payments for Drugs Without a Federal Drug Rebate Agreement

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S 

Bullying and drug incidents are up in New York schools post-Pandemic 

Report: Bullying & drug-related cases in New York schools rising 

Is it time to use those gift cards lingering in your wallet? The State Comptroller's Office says probably 

Federal farm policies are hitting close to home in Tompkins County 

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P O S T   O F   T H E   W E E K

 

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Feb.10th Meeting

 

THE PELHAM PARKWAY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION  HAS BOOKED A GREAT GUEST FOR TUESDAY FEB.10! THE NEW OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY AT 626 PELHAM PARKWAY SOUTH (THE OLD APPLE BANK) FIND OUT WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO AT THAT SITE !The Community meeting will be held at Bronx House,990 Pelham Parkway South Bx NY 10461.We start at 7 pm sharp.!!We look foward to seeing all of you at this event.Please find us on FaceBook ,Instagram.

MAYOR MAMDANI ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO KEEP NEW YORKERS SAFE AHEAD OF WINTER’S COLDEST NIGHT

 

Mamdani Administration taking additional emergency measures to accelerate opening of new safe haven beds and stand-up new warming centers as quickly as possible 

TODAY, ahead of the coldest night of the winter, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced additional emergency actions to expand shelter and warming facility capacity across the city and bring vulnerable New Yorkers indoors.   

  

On Friday night, the Mamdani administration accelerated the opening of 48 new safe haven beds in the Bronx for homeless people who are resistant to traditional shelter settings. The expansion was carried out with support from the Department of Social Services and the Department of Buildings.  

  

The administration has also deployed more than 150 additional outreach workers — supplementing the more than 400 Department of Homeless Services outreach staff already working around the clock — to conduct direct street outreach throughout the weekend. More than 50 school nurses have also been deployed. Since January 19th, the city has made more than 1,300 shelter placements and involuntarily transported 29 New Yorkers.  

  

On Saturday, the Department of Education announced it is supporting the opening of two additional warming centers – one in Far Rockaway and one in Washington Heights – in addition to the 10 reopened school-based warming centers announced Friday by the mayor.   

  

In response to community concerns, Mayor Mamdani also directed city agencies to increase the size and visibility of signage and labeling on warming vehicles and at warming centers across all five boroughs.  

  

Earlier today, Mayor Mamdani travelled to Staten Island to thank firefighters and emergency medical service workers for their efforts to keep New Yorkers safe and warm. City workers and partners continue operating with a heightened capacity to bring people indoors as temperatures drop.   

  

“The temperature tonight will be the coldest we have seen all winter,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “If you are still outside, please come inside. Being outdoors for even a brief period of time can be lethal. City government is doing everything in its power to keep vulnerable New Yorkers safe and warm during this winter weather crisis. The cold is persistent, but so is this city. Let’s keep looking out for one another. Stay safe. Check on your neighbors. And if you see someone in need, please call 311.”   

  

Today’s announcement builds on emergency actions announced Friday, including:  

•   The expedited opening of 64 new hotel shelter units in Queens.  

•   Operation of nearly 65 warming facilities citywide throughout the weekend.  

•   Expansion of NYC Health + Hospitals’ mobile warming outreach initiative to 33 mobile units. The program has already engaged nearly 3,000 vulnerable New Yorkers, provided more than 1,000 clinical consultations, and distributed essential supplies, including blankets, warm clothing, socks, warm meals, and water, to more than 80% of those engaged.  

•   A pilot “peer outreach” initiative through DHS deploying formerly homeless New Yorkers to conduct street outreach and build trust with people still outside.  

•   A citywide message campaign in partnership with LinkNYC featuring a direct appeal from Mayor Mamdani for New Yorkers to come indoors, along with a new tool to locate the nearest warming center.   

•   Collaboration with 311 to cut the amount of time in half that it takes to call for help for a homeless individual since the start of the Code Blue emergency.   

  

As the City responds to this weather emergency, Mayor Mamdani said the administration is using every available tool to keep New Yorkers safe. Residents are encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 for emergency updates. More information here.   

  

As Mayor Mamdani has repeatedly said: If you are still outdoors, please come inside. We want to help. We want to keep you safe.   

Third Coconspirator in Fatal Benghazi Attacks in U.S. Custody, Charged in Washington D.C. with Murder and Terrorism Counts

 

Zubayar Al-Bakoush, an armed coconspirator in the 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, was charged in an eight-count indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court on multiple terrorism and murder counts.

Bakoush, who is in federal custody, is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya for the District of Columbia.

“The terrorist attack on our Benghazi Embassy was a dark and tragic day for our nation that robbed us of four American heroes,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Now, thanks to our brave federal agents, one of its alleged key participants will be prosecuted in an American courtroom on American soil. Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice will never rest in our mission to Make America Safe Again and deliver swift, severe justice to our enemies.”

"The FBI and our U.S. government partners have worked tirelessly to hold accountable those responsible for the heinous terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya that resulted in the deaths of the U.S. Ambassador, J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The latest result of our efforts is bringing  Zubayar Al-Bakoush  to the U.S. to face charges for his alleged role in the attacks against our citizens and our facilities in Libya. You can be assured that no matter how long it takes, or where you are located, the FBI remains steadfast in our duty to see justice served against those who harm our citizens. I’m grateful to the men and women of the FBI for their unrelenting efforts to bring us to where we stand today – this defendant will be prosecuted on U.S. soil.”

“This indictment against Zubayar Al-Bakoush is indicative of President Trump’s resolve to hold accountable anyone who harms Americans, no matter where,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Al-Bakoush is now on U.S. soil, because the FBI and Department of Justice never forgot those Americans who were seemingly forgotten in that outpost in Benghazi, Libya. President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, FBI Director Patel, and I will do whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes, to pursue justice for the victims and their families.”

“Over thirteen years have passed since the 2012 attack in Libya, and over eight since the last arrest in this case, but the Department of Justice’s resolve has not wavered,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “We never forgot those four Americans who were killed in service of our Nation, and we will continue to seek justice for them, their families, and for the United States.”

“In September 2012, Zubayar Al-Bakoush allegedly facilitated the terrorist attack on the United States Mission and Annex in Benghazi in which four Americans – including an ambassador – were murdered in an effort to incite additional violence against our country’s presence in Libya” said James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge of New York Field Office. “This bloody campaign waged unnecessary brutality against Americans and forever altered the lives of the victims’ families. May today’s significant disruption send a clear message: the FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will never cease its tireless pursuit of any terrorist involved in the massacre of our nation’s citizens, regardless of when or where the onslaught occurred.”

The indictment charges Bakoush with:

• Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death
• Providing Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death
• Murder of an Internationally Protected Person
• Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States (Two Counts)
• Attempted Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States
• Arson and Placing Lives in Jeopardy Within the Special Maritime and Territorial

Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same

• Maliciously Destroying and Injuring Property and Placing Lives in Jeopardy within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same

The charges stem from the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission and nearby CIA Annex that killed Ambassador Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty.

According to the indictment, Bakoush was a member of Ansar Al Sharia (AAS), an Islamist extremist militia in Benghazi, which had the goal of establishing Sharia law in Libya.

On the evening of Sept. 11, 2012, a group of more than 20 heavily armed men – including Bakoush assembled outside the main gate of the U.S Special Mission in Benghazi.  They were armed with assault rifles, other firearms, and explosive devices.  At about 9:45 p.m., the group of armed men violently breached the main gate of the Mission. Upon entry, the men fanned out across the Mission complex, setting fires to building within the Mission compound.

When the attackers could not gain entry to the secure area of Villa C, the Ambassador’s residence, they set fire to it.  Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith suffocated from the thick, black smoke that enveloped the residence. Diplomatic Security Services (DSS) Special Agent Scott Wickland, who had tried to guide Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith to safety, was injured and repeatedly took small arms fire while trying to rescue the two Americans.

The extremist group also attacked the Quick Reaction Force building, which was occupied by local Libyans serving as guards for the Mission.

About 10 p.m., Bakoush entered the Mission compound with other conspirators, and conducted surveillance of the Tactical Operation Center and the Villa. After Bakoush attempted to gain entry to vehicles belonging to Mission staff, he and his co-conspirators temporarily retreated to an area just outside the Mission.

About 11:15 p.m., conspirators assembled outside the southern gate and launched a second violent attack on the Mission using AK-type assault rifles, grenades, and rocket-propelled grenades. After 30 minutes, the group entered the compound and plundered the Mission’s office of documents, maps, and computers containing sensitive information about the location of the CIA Annex.

At 12:30 a.m., conspirators attacked the Annex with small arms, assault rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades.

Following the attack at the Mission, in the early hours of September 12, 2012, the violence continued at the CIA Annex, first with gunfire and then with a precision mortar attack. While defending the Annex, Mr. Woods, Mr. Doherty, DSS Special Agent David Ubben, and CIA security specialist Mark Tiegen were hit by a precision mortar attack, leading to the deaths of Mr. Woods and Mr. Doherty. Special Agent Ubben and Mr. Tiegen were seriously wounded but survived.

The Department of Justice previously charged and convicted two leaders in the Benghazi attack on federal terrorism charges and other offenses. Ahmed Abu Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatallah was sentenced in June 2018 to 22 years in prison and resentenced in September 2024 to 28 years in prison. Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced in January 2020 to nearly 20 years.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from the Department of War, the CIA and the Department of State. The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided additional assistance.