The action targets Richard and Ronald Goetter, the owners of an eight-room apartment building at 113 S. Main Street that officials say was uninhabitable.
The case is not criminal but civil, filed under the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
County officials released photos from inside the building, which they said showed rodent and insect infestations, black mold, unsafe wiring, blocked exits and structural problems. Six people lived in the building, and authorities said they went without heat during the winter before the property was condemned.
"They didn't deserve to live like this," said Dublin Borough Council President Tim Hayes during a news conference.
Kahn said the landlords were aware of the problems for years but failed to address them.
"Ripping off our most vulnerable neighbors, that's against the law in any season, but when you cheat them out of heat during a code blue winter, that is a threat to public safety," Kahn said.
Prosecutors allege the property had unresolved issues for more than a decade and that the landlords had been cited multiple times. According to the district attorney's office, this is the first action of its kind brought by a district attorney's office in Pennsylvania using a law more commonly applied to cases involving opioid and vape manufacturers.
"This property was a threat to the life and safety, and ultimately was a tragedy waiting to happen," said Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Oquendo.
Dublin Borough Council President Tim Hayes said tenants endured unacceptable conditions for an extended period.
"For far too long these folks were subjected to absolutely abhorrent living conditions," Hayes said.
All six tenants have since been relocated and are being housed elsewhere as the case proceeds. The district attorney said his office is seeking to have tenants reimbursed for all the rent they paid while living in the building, and fine the landlords thousands of dollars.
Kahn said he hopes the case sends a broader message.
"If you are running an operation like this today is the day to clean up your act," he said.
The district attorney's office is also urging other people who may have paid rent at the property to come forward, saying they could be eligible for reimbursement.
The Goetters did not respond to requests for comment.