Nigerian owner of collapsed NYC building named on worst landlords list

Nigerian-born landlord Olufemi Falade is named on New York City’s Worst Landlord Watchlist, after his Brooklyn apartment building collapsed, killing eight people. Falade, who owns the 1321 Flatbush Avenue property, has a history of poor maintenance, owing over $450,000 in fines, unpaid taxes, and water bills. He has appeared on the watchlist six times in the last decade, most recently in 2024.

Falade was sentenced to 12 days in jail in 2006 and fined $50,000 for failing to address more than 1,800 violations at 12 Brooklyn buildings he owned. The building, which was 96 years old, had 98 open violations before collapsing on November 11. The city is investigating the cause of the collapse, and it is essential to identify any negligence that may have contributed to the tragedy.