New York Attorney General Wins Lawsuit Against Sullivan County Mobile Home Park for Mistreating Tenants

In a significant legal outcome for residents of River Valley mobile home park in Sullivan County, New York Attorney General Letitia James successfully won a lawsuit against the park's proprietors for mistreatment of tenants and illegal rent increases. According to an announcement by the Attorney General's office, Judge Meagan Galligan of the New York Supreme Court ruled that River Valley Estates, LLC and owners George Levin and Gayla Sue Levin consistently violated state laws impacting the health and safety of residents.

For years, River Valley allegedly failed to supply clean water, leading residents to incur additional expenses for obtaining safe drinking water and using off-site facilities to properly wash their laundry. Judge Galligan ruled that the park’s owners were responsible for these inadequate living conditions. The court also found that they unlawfully increased rents and charged improper fees, which the lawsuit identified as a significant financial strain on the park’s predominantly low-income residents. "Every New Yorker deserves a safe place to live with access to clean water," Attorney General James said in a press release. "Not only were River Valley residents forced to suffer through years of dangerous conditions in their community, but they were also charged hundreds of thousands of dollars in unlawful fees and rent hikes."

Residents reported conditions involving raw sewage overflowing into their living spaces and ongoing shortages of potable water. Additionally, past rent payments made by credit or debit card were subject to an unlawful surcharge of three percent per transaction. In August 2022, a permanent garbage fee was also introduced without proper notice. These actions constituted multiple violations of tenants' rights under New York law.

The court's decision marks the first instance where a manufactured home park owner has been held accountable for violating provisions of the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act. As part of the ruling, Attorney General James seeks to obtain over $2 million in restitution for the residents affected, alongside more than $200,000 in civil penalties for the Levins' violations of the law. The court will soon deliberate on the specifics of these remedies to further address the illegalities confirmed in the case.

This lawsuit is part of a broader effort by Attorney General James to address unlawful housing practices and protect low-income tenants. Previous settlements have involved property owners and management companies found to have violated the rights of tenants using rental assistance and to have failed in correcting hazardous conditions, including lead paint exposure. The case was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Justin Haines and Vinita Kamath, under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Jill Faber and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.