Two More Supreme Court Victories Against Problem Property Owners

Mayor Kraham Announces Two More Supreme Court Victories Against Problem Property Owners

- Landlord Ordered To Pay $414K After Failing To Fix 18 Code Violations At First Ward Property -

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.) - Mayor Jared M. Kraham on Tuesday announced the City has landed two more major victories against problem property owners in New York State Supreme Court, including a $414,000 judgement against a landlord who failed to fix 18 code violations at a property in the First Ward.

Mayor Kraham said: "We have changed the way Binghamton deals with problem properties, and our neighborhoods are seeing the results. By aggressively taking on bad actors, we're sending a clear message that Binghamton will not tolerate landlords who subject families to unsafe living conditions and let problem properties hurt our neighborhoods. Negligent property owners are realizing it's time to fix code violations before they face major fines. These court cases are part of our work to address unsafe housing conditions, fight blight in our neighborhoods and hold bad actors accountable."

Under Mayor Kraham, the City has begun filing some of its most egregious housing cases in New York State Supreme Court, part of a new approach to crack down on serious housing violations and repeat code offenders. Previously, the City had prosecuted code cases in City Court only.

The $414,000 judgement announced by Mayor Kraham on Tuesday came against the owners of 6 Janette Ave. in the First Ward, where a New York State Supreme Court judge found the owners had failed to abate 18 of 19 code violations at the property.

The property is owned by JST Properties LLC, of Endwell. Timothy P. Connolly, and Lillian Bomysoad, also of Endwell, were named in court documents as additional respondents, with Connolly listed as the sole member of JST Properties and Bomysoad as the operations manager.

The property owners were cited by the City for a range of code violations related to a lack of heat, unsafe electrical conditions, a cockroach infestation, plumbing deficiencies, missing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and other issues. The City condemned the building for unsafe conditions in December 2024.

Separately, the property was locked down under the City's Property and Building Nuisance Reform Law, commonly known as the "Lockdown Law," in January 2026 for code violations and criminal activity, including drug and firearm charges.

After the owners failed to address the code violations, the City filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court. In June 2025, Judge Eugene D. Faughnan ordered the owners to immediately abate the hazardous violations and all other violations within 45 days, directing respondents to pay $200 per day for continuing violations if repairs were not made.

The Court delivered the $414,000 judgement last month after all but one of the code violations went unabated.

In a second Supreme Court victory announced by Mayor Kraham on Tuesday, the owner of 35 Williams St. on the East Side agreed to pay the City $10,000 after failing to repair an unsafe front porch for more than two years.

The City first cited landlord Robert Kuzel, of Maine, New York, and NRC Properties, LLC for the porch's deteriorated condition in 2023.

The porch roof and ceiling were found to be held in place by temporary support braces, with the porch wall bowing outwards and pulling away from the deck, and load-bearing support columns bowing and tipping. One of the load-bearing columns was found to be unanchored to the structure and hanging mid-air, causing serious safety concerns.

After Kuzel failed to make repairs, the City filed a petition against him in New York State Supreme Court to fix the porch in September 2025.

Kuzel signed a court stipulation earlier this year agreeing to pay a $10,000 fine in exchange for the City discontinuing the Supreme Court action and dismissing related misdemeanor charges in City court. He repaired the porch in December 2025.

Kuzel had been prosecuted in City Court for code violations more than 18 times over the last several years.

Shortly after taking office in 2022, Mayor Kraham made a series of reforms to the City's code enforcement process, including creating a dedicated code prosecutor position to focus on serious housing cases.

Attorney Elisabeth Rossow has held the position since its inception, working to secure fines and compliance from property owners and winning several significant court victories for the City.

The cases against the owners of 6 Janette Ave. and 35 Williams St. are the latest victories secured by Attorney Rossow in New York State Supreme Court.

Mayor Kraham announced a $634,550 judgement in April against the owners of 11 Stone St. in New York State Supreme Court, the first of its kind secured by the City.