Dumbo landlord illegally built rooftop rooms for Airbnb guests: City

The owner of a Dumbo manufacturing building who built rooms on the roof and rented them out to Airbnb guests was issued with a vacate order and a summons for thousands in fines.

Inspectors said they found five residential units built on the roof of the two-story building at 140 Plymouth, the New York Daily News reported. The city officials were responding to reports to the Mayor’s office of special enforcement, which polices illegal Airbnb listings. The owner of the building — which has a certificate of occupancy allowing for manufacturing on the first and second floors — is Plymouth Realty Corporation, according to the newspaper.

Tourists from Minneapolis, London and Massachusetts were occupying the rooms. The Airbnb listing refers to “amazing views” and “rooftop access,” according to the News. The landlord may face and penalties fines up to $55,000, the city said.

Over the past three months, City Hall fined Airbnb hosts for 139 listings that violated housing laws, out of around 24,000 illegal advertisements. [NYDN] — Miriam Hall