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A 5-story, 1860s-era SRO in the East Village where city agencies created an impossible conflict: one orders emergency repairs while another blocks the permits. This is the documented record of what happened at 109 East 9th St, New York, NY.
Our Commitment: Every single statement on this website is backed by documented proof — court records, police reports, video footage, and receipts.
Four short documentary reels built entirely from court filings, surveillance footage, and government records.
Third-party investigations that independently document the case.
A growing archive of documented truth.
Owner of 109 East 9th Street
My name is Michael Geylik. I purchased 109 East 9th Street in 2021 for a straightforward reason: I needed office space for my company. The ground floor had operated as a bar for over twenty-five years, and I set out to convert it into our offices — a project that required a new Certificate of Occupancy (CO) from the Department of Buildings (DOB).
Because a CO covers the entire mixed-use building, the City will not issue one if there are open violations in any part of the property, including the residential SRO units. When I took ownership, I inherited two major violations from the 1990s: “Work Without a Permit” for a hazardous illegal gas connection and illegal plumbing for a kitchen and bathroom. These issues were located on the upper residential floors — not the commercial space I was converting — and had been left open by the prior owner for more than two decades.
They weren't my violations, and they weren't in my workspace. I fixed them anyway. I hired a licensed master plumber and pulled every required permit. Once the violations were cleared, I applied to the HPD for a Certificate of No Harassment (CONH). After a legal investigation and interviews with the tenants, the City determined there had been no harassment since my purchase, and the CONH was officially issued in mid-March 2024.
Then, the earthquake of April 2024 exposed severe structural damage. After being alerted by tenants, the DOB ordered me to perform immediate repairs via emergency work orders. However, before work could begin, tenant advocacy groups and politicians pressured the HPD to suspend my CONH without hearing my side of the story.
This created a bureaucratic nightmare: the suspension of the CONH triggered the DOB to suspend the very repair permits they had previously approved and ordered. I was left in an impossible position: ordered by the City to fix a building that the City will not allow me to fix.
On the advice of my attorney, I created this website to document the truth. Every claim is backed by publicly available evidence — court filings, engineering reports, and city records. Nothing here is fabricated. I invite you to review the evidence, follow the timeline, and reach your own conclusions.
— Michael Geylik
Navigate through the documented record organized by category.
Chronological record from 1998 to present — violations, permits, earthquake damage, regulatory conflict, and political interference.
View Section →Physical condition, structural engineering reports, earthquake damage, and inherited violations — the facts about 109 East 9th Street.
View Section →How DOB orders repairs while HPD blocks the permits — the bureaucratic paradox that leaves the building at risk.
View Section →Disclaimer: All information on this website consists of publicly available records, court documents, police reports, and lawfully obtained evidence. This website was created on the advice of legal counsel for the purpose of presenting documented truth. No private or confidential information is disclosed. For legal inquiries, please visit the Legal Disclaimer page.
Five simultaneous legal proceedings — administrative tribunal, eviction cases, and harassment claims.
