SLUMLORDS BOO$T GIFF
By TOM TOPOUSIS
July 28, 2005 -- Two landlords on a list of the city's worst are among City Council Speaker Gifford Miller's most prolific donors, raising more than $50,000 for his mayoral campaign.
The contributions come from two real-estate groups harshly criticized yesterday by a housing advocacy organization that examined records at 1,553 of the most distressed apartment buildings in the five boroughs.
"It's hard to imagine why anyone would take money from the landlords on our list. They've got thousands of building violations," said Julie Miles, campaign director for Housing Here and Now, which did the study.
The landlords cited as the 10 worst have long histories in the city, racking up as many as 973 violations in a single apartment building. Some violations date back decades.
Reggie Johnson, a spokesman for Miller's campaign, said there are no plans to return the campaign cash.
"Gifford Miller has an unmatched record of defending tenant rights as speaker and will continue to do so as the next mayor," Johnson said.
The Post found that Brooklyn-based Eshel Management (No. 10 on the list of worst landlords) gave Miller's campaign $13,750 in contributions from employees and relatives. They included the firm's head, Zvi Kaufman and his wife, who gave a combined $5,500.
Another $20,500 was donated by Renaissance Inc., which shares office space and officers with Eshel. The two real-estate firms, at 1950 Coney Island Ave., operate buildings with more than 10,000 violations.
Among the buildings in the housing study is 280 E. 21st St. in Brooklyn, operated by Renaissance, where tenants went without heat and hot water for weeks in winter 2003.
Aaron Parnes, another Miller contributor, has racked up 2,566 violations at nine buildings in upper Manhattan. He is ranked the worst landlord.
Parnes gave Miller's campaign $2,250. His wife also gave $2,250.