The City of Yonkers’ top fire and building code scofflaw and landlord, Aurelio Assuncao, was arrested last week after avoiding bench warrants resulting from more than 70 fire and housing code summonses issued by the Yonkers Fire Department and Department of Housing and Buildings. Assuncao was taken into custody by the Yonkers Police Department and is being held for an appearance in Yonkers City Court for code violations at the five properties he owns or once owned.
“Let this be a sounding alarm to landlords in Yonkers – we will not stand for individuals who dodge the system and put our residents in harm’s way,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “You will be charged to the fullest extent of the law. You will be held accountable for the mistreatment of the homes you provide to your tenants. Mr. Assuncao leads the list of top property owner violators. The action taken today is just one example of how Yonkers is cracking down on the deadbeat owners who think they are above the law.”
Over the last eight years, Assuncao has owned properties at 6, 8, 9 and 13 Riverview Place, and 141 Beech St. The property owner has been issued more than 70 code summonses that have resulted in warrants. Violations at these properties have included illegal apartments, no second means of egress, non-working or non-existent smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, along with numerous other violations of the fire and buildings codes.
The arrest of Assuncao comes Mayor Spano and Yonkers Councilwoman Corazon Pineda-Isaac announced plans to target landlords who ignore fire and building codes and subject their properties to condemnation. According to proposed legislation, should the condition of a building rise to the need for relocation of its residents as a result of negligent or intentional acts of the building owner, and the City of Yonkers incurs expenses to house and feed the tenants, the landlord must reimburse costs incurred by the city.
“All of Mr. Assuncao’s violations fall within the second district of Yonkers, so this is a major victory for the residents of southwest Yonkers,” said Pineda-Isaac. “Landlords should take this as a warning that they, too, can be arrested for failure to provide adequate housing and failure to respond to city code violations. I am happy Mayor Mike Spano has supported my call to hold landlords accountable. Today’s arrest is a sign that such actions by landlords will no longer be tolerated in the City of Yonkers.”
There are currently more than 75 property owners listed as repeat offenders of Yonkers’ fire and building codes.
For many years, the topic of illegal apartments in Yonkers has been discussed but never addressed. Some believe that if these apartments were “put on the books” and if property owners and landlords were correctly charged property taxes, the city would see million in additional revenue, and that the everyday Yonkers homeowner and taxpayer would see some tax relief – or at least have fairness and equity in the collection of taxes.
