The Story

In June 2021, Michael Geylik purchased 109 East 9th Street through 109E9 LLC. The 5-story, 1860s-era SRO in the East Village came with two unresolved ECB violations dating back to 1998 and 1999 — hazardous gas piping (341-666-12M) and an illegal conversion (342-067-61J). No prior owner had addressed them in over two decades.

The new owner resolved both decades-old violations within 18 months — hiring licensed contractors, pulling DOB permits, and obtaining signed-off LAA jobs (M07996829 and M08040576) plus Certificates of Correction. To install a legal kitchen and bathroom in Unit 3B (correcting the illegal conversion), a Certificate of No Harassment application was filed with HPD in August 2023. After a six-month investigation, HPD granted the CONH in March 2024.

On April 5, 2024, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck the New York area. DOB’s Forensic Engineering Unit subsequently inspected 109 East 9th Street and found severe structural damage — cracked floor joists, a failed trimmer supporting the staircase, and inadequate connections throughout. DOB issued Emergency Work Order FEU-103-01-PN for immediate shoring and a full structural evaluation (FEU-103-02-PN). The building needed major structural repairs.

On March 25, 2025, three elected officials — State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Congressman Dan Goldman, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine — sent a letter to HPD Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani, relying on information from tenant advocacy group Cooper Square Committee without contacting the building owner. On April 8, 2025, HPD suspended the previously granted CONH and filed a petition in OATH (Index No. 1984/25) to revoke it. This created an impossible paradox: DOB orders the owner to make emergency structural repairs, but HPD blocks the permits needed to do so. The building remains in regulatory limbo.

The building has four remaining tenants. Patterson Beckwith (Unit 2E) was found by a private investigator to be present at his 80 sq ft SRO unit on only 124 out of 1,104 days — roughly 1.3% of the time — while maintaining two properties in Pittsburgh. James Hicks (Unit 4B) has been the subject of a non-primary residence eviction for over 25 years of alleged subletting. Remigiusz Chlapek (Unit 2D) was indicted on multiple counts including sex trafficking and witness tampering, and is subject to a temporary order of protection. Only Judy Sabin (Unit 3C) reported Chlapek’s criminal activities to authorities.

As of 2026, there are five active or recently resolved proceedings: (1) HPD v. Geylik — the OATH administrative trial over CONH revocation, resulting in ALJ Christine Stecura’s Report and Recommendation; (2) Geylik v. Beckwith — non-primary residence eviction; (3) Geylik v. Hicks — non-primary residence eviction; (4) Tenants v. Geylik (LT-307504-25) — harassment claim alleging that DOB-permitted construction constitutes harassment; and (5) Freeman v. Gartrell — a separate landlord’s non-primary residence case against Patterson Beckwith’s wife Amy Beth Gartrell at her rent-stabilized Greenpoint unit.

The owner continues to pay approximately $60,000 per month in legal fees across five proceedings while the building remains in regulatory deadlock. DOB’s emergency structural repairs cannot proceed because HPD suspended the CONH. The OATH decision is under review. This website documents every claim with verifiable evidence — court filings, engineering reports, police records, and public documents.