New York attorney general sues Syracuse–area landlord for failing to address lead-based paint problems

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday filed a lawsuit against William D’Angelo — and his company Marpat LLC — for “repeatedly and persistently” violating lead-safety laws at nearly two dozen rental properties in Syracuse.

Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse are also listed as plaintiffs on the lawsuit filed Thursday.

Over the past seven years, 22 different properties owned by D’Angelo had 336 violations of lead-safety laws, James’s office said in a news release about the lawsuit. At least 15 children, 10 of them children of color, were poisoned by lead while living at these properties, the office noted.

The filed lawsuit lists both D’Angelo and Marpat LLC as having the same address in Liverpool. CNYBJ left a message with D’Angelo seeking comment but he didn’t immediately respond.

In the complaint filed Thursday, James, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh seek to require D’Angelo to pay thousands in restitution to the impacted families in addition to “substantial” penalties, and to “disgorge all ill-gotten profits,” such as rent payments.

The officials are also seeking an order to stop D’Angelo’s “harmful” housing practices and require him to resolve all existing lead paint-related violations, conduct regular inspections of lead conditions within his properties, and implement proper safety measures moving forward.

“In Syracuse and throughout New York, children of color suffer the irreversible health effects of lead exposure at disproportionate rates,” James contended. “William D’Angelo violated more than our lead safety laws — he violated tenants’ trust and put families in danger. I will continue to fight to protect our children from lead poisoning by holding neglectful landlords accountable for their roles in exacerbating this public health crisis.”

Over the last 30 years, D’Angelo has owned and managed at least 48 rental properties with at least 116 individual rental units in Syracuse. James’ office cited city and county records as indicating all of D’Angelo’s rental properties were built prior to 1940, and “therefore are all presumed to contain lead-based paint.” Most of these properties are in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, per the state attorney general.

Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible adverse health effects. Children who have been exposed to even low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems during critical stages of early development, the release stated.

Lead-based paint in residential housing is a pervasive problem in Syracuse because 81 percent of the housing stock was built before lead-based paint was banned in New York in 1970. Lead poisoning in Onondaga County is highest among children of color, the majority of whom live in Syracuse.