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ew York's legal system often allows problem tenants to avoid eviction for a year or more, but it also enables landlords to steal money from them. A recent case involving landlord Ches Parnes highlights this issue. Parnes withheld a $4,400 security deposit from tenant Alice Liao and her roommate, despite their apartment being spotless when they left.

    Parnes owns at least eight buildings in Brooklyn and the Bronx, with 14 complaints filed against him by his tenants. However, only two of these cases resulted in judgments, and neither tenant has received any money back. This is a common problem, as about 2,000 cases are filed annually in Brooklyn small claims court over withheld deposits.

    The vast majority of victims don't go to court due to the time-consuming and costly nature of pursuing such cases. Even if tenants win a judgment, collecting it can be extremely difficult. The state attorney general's office is limited in its ability to help.

    Rather than blaming individual landlords or tenants for these injustices, the system itself needs to be addressed. New York City has over 170 elected officials, yet none have attempted to fix this issue in the past 30 years. A website where tenants and landlords can air their grievances could provide a solution, allowing renters to avoid deposit-stealing landlords and vice versa.

    However, numerous attempts to establish such a platform have failed. Until one gains traction, landlords will continue to keep security deposits without consequence.