Bay Ridge developer faces foreclosure on 19 abandoned properties

Bay Ridge residents hoping to oust a prolific developer who has amassed about 30 buildings in the neighborhood are getting some help from the foreclosure crisis. According to the New York Daily News seven of Mousa Khalil’s properties have already undergone foreclosure auction and 12 more are mired in early stages of the process.

Neighbors allege that Khalil abandons the homes and leaves them to deteriorate upon purchase, which is blighting the neighborhood. Several voiced frustration and annoyance with Khalil.

“When you have a vacant property on a block, when it’s boarded up, it becomes an eyesore,” said Josephine Beckmann, district manager of the local community board. “There should be no reason for it – in our community, he’d be able to rent them.”

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But their great white knight didn’t arrive last week when seven of the properties went up for auction with a lien of $2.34 million, the News said. No bids were submitted.

Khalil had previously converted one of his Bay Ridge properties into an illegal hostel, which the Department of Buildings eventually raided. [NYDN]