Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam on Wednesday unveiled an expanded list of problem property owners, including two out-of-state investors who made high-profile acquisitions in the city and are now facing liens and enforcement actions for code violations.
The city’s updated problem landlord list adds Casey Askar, the Florida businessman and former congressional candidate who partnered on a $1 million purchase of the vacant 25 Sigourney St. office tower in 2020, and Shlomo “Sam” Sarot, the Long Island investor who has assembled a portfolio of more than 400 Connecticut apartment units since 2021.
The city has invested $250,000 to secure a vacant property tied to Askar and is actively pursuing legal action and tax liens, according to the mayor’s office.
The announcement marks a significant escalation in Hartford’s year-old strategy to combat negligent landlords through public identification and aggressive code enforcement.
“The message we sent last year is clear, and the results are undeniable: If you’re a landlord and you choose to put profits over people, we are watching and we will hold you accountable,” Arulampalam said. “For those on this new list, you can expect increased scrutiny, escalated fines, and potential referrals to the office of the state’s attorney.”
Askar, whose real estate business is based in Detroit, told Hartford Business Journal in 2020 he was investing at least $5 million of his own money to upgrade the 15-story Sigourney Street office tower while running a national real estate portfolio and franchises of Papa Romano’s Pizza, Church’s Chicken and Dunkin’.
The Iraqi immigrant and Marine veteran ran unsuccessfully for southwest Florida’s 19th Congressional District in 2020 as a Republican. At the time, he expressed optimism about Hartford’s economic potential, comparing it to Detroit’s revival.
Now based in Naples, Florida, Askar appears on the problem landlord list with a blight lien imposed against his properties.
Sarot, of Woodmere, New York, has been expanding his Connecticut holdings, recently purchasing the 80-unit Sumner House apartment building at 57-59 Sumner St. for $6.7 million in July. He told HBJ he “hand-picks the deals” and his investors know he “sweats over the properties.”
But Sarot’s properties have documented violations including mice and roach infestations, non-working sinks and excessive heat issues, according to the mayor’s office. The city has recorded a $9,375 lien against one of his properties.
Other new additions to Hartford’s list of problem landlords are:
- Nisan Bayer of Spring Valley, New York;
- Tarequl Ambia of Manchester;
- Stephen Brickman of New York and Dover, Delaware;
- Shmuel Aizenberg of New Haven;
- Hanoch Feldman of Monsey, New York.
Ambia faces more than $30,000 in liens for recurring rodent and pest infestations.
Brickman has a $7,500 lien for a collapsed kitchen ceiling, along with violations for peeling paint and structural defects to stairs.
“The violations we continue to see — severe water damage, lack of heat, and compromised structural integrity — are unacceptable,” said Judith Rothschild, deputy director of Hartford’s Department of Development Services. “We use the full force of the city’s blight, building and housing codes, including the daily fine structure, to ensure that every property owner is held accountable for the health and safety of their tenants.”
The city pointed to significant successes from last year’s initial problem landlord announcement, which identified three property owners. Since then, over 93% of the nearly 900 units owned by those landlords have seen ownership changes or substantial improvements, the city said.
