Judge warns LES landlord that she could lose properties over illegal Airbnb rentals

City filed a $1.2M lawsuit against the landlord

From left: 536 East 14th Street, Bill de Blasio and 123 Ludlow Street
From left: 536 East 14th Street, Bill de Blasio and 123 Ludlow Street

A State Supreme Court judge warned a Lower East Side landlord that she could lose control of her properties if she didn’t stop using them as illegal Airbnb hotels.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice James d’Auguste delivered the warning to Rose King on Monday, after the city filed a $1.2 million lawsuit against the landlord, the New York Post reported. The judge also barred Rose from listing any of her apartments on Airbnb.

“Your very ownership of the buildings may be in jeopardy,” d’Auguste told King.

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The city filed a lawsuit against King, alleging that she used a middle man and at least nine assumed names to rent out apartments at 536 East 14th Street, 123 Ludlow Street and 127 Rivington Street for around $85 per night via the short-term rental site. Thanks to a state law signed in October, it’s illegal to rent out an entire unit for less than 30 days without a hotel permit.

The lawsuit represents Mayor Bill de Blasio’s biggest crackdown on a landlord for illegally using Airbnb yet. [NYP] — Kathryn Brenzel