Mayor Walsh Asks State Supreme Court to Ban Slumlord Mendy Kletzky
Published on March 12, 2025
Lawsuit wants Court to require Kletzky to correct all open code violations in 30 days and give City review and approval of sale of properties
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced the City of Syracuse is seeking to ban a notorious Brooklyn slumlord from renting and owning properties in Syracuse. Citing years of gross neglect and willful defiance of City and Court directives, City lawyers filed a complaint Monday asking a State Supreme Court judge to immediately and permanently enjoin Kletzky from owning, leasing, renting, managing or having any fiduciary interest in residential or mixed-use properties in the City of Syracuse.
The City’s action also seeks an order compelling Kletzky to correct code violations within 30 days of a ruling; prohibiting Kletzky from collecting rents at his properties; imposing a judgment in amounts ranging from $100 to $500 per day for each uncorrected and open code violation; and prohibiting him from selling the properties without city review and approval.
“Mendy Kletzky is a danger to public health and safety and must be barred from owning and renting properties in Syracuse,” said Mayor Walsh. “Despite years of fines and penalties, and repeatedly disregarding court orders, he’s failed to comply with required laws to maintain his properties in a habitable manner. While pocketing rents he’s forced people to live in dangerous and substandard conditions while at the same time subjecting city taxpayers to incalculable costs for back taxes, overdue water bills, police and fire responses, as well as wasting other resources. We will not tolerate this kind of abuse from Kletzky or any landlord to the detriment of tenants and our City.”
The City’s complaint sets forth how Kletzky set up a series of limited liability companies to protect himself from personal liability for 17 of the 18 properties named in the action. In a prior, but related criminal action, Kletzky admitted his connection to the shell companies.
According to the complaint, “The City deems Defendant Kletzky’s consistent malfeasance to be a signal that should not be allowed to continue owning properties within City boundaries and that an order enjoining him (or any entity in which he has been or is a member of otherwise held or holds any ownership or controlling interest) from ownership or operation of real property within City limits is appropriate for the protection of public health, safety and welfare.”