Who is a Class Member
You are a member of the New York Croman Tenant Harassment class action settlement if you meet both of the following requirements:
- “You are or were a tenant named on a lease in a rent-stabilized or rent-controlled apartment owned by Steven Croman, and you lived in the apartment at some point between July 1, 2011 and December 20, 2017; and
- You did not receive a buyout of $20,000 or more, not including any amount that purported to cover rent or arrears. A “buyout” is a payment by Steven Croman or his employees or agents in exchange for a tenant’s agreement to give up the lease and vacate the apartment.”
Note: Only tenants named on the lease are eligible for payment, but if you are in the process of contesting your status as a rent-regulated or rent-controlled tenant, and have asserted that you are entitled to a rent-stabilized lease, you may submit a Claim Form for consideration.
If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other class action settlements you may be eligible for.
Settlement Amount
- $8,000,000.00
Estimated Award
- TBD
Payments will be divided equally among eligible tenants who timely submit a completed Claim Form and Release. Payments for one apartment will be divided equally among tenants named on the lease.
Confidentiality Notice: if your claim is determined to be eligible, only your name will be disclosed to Steven Croman. All other information will remain confidential.
Proof of Purchase
- To receive a payment, you must submit a claim form and provide any requested supporting documentation.
Claim Form
New York Croman Tenant Harassment Settlement Notes
- The People of the State of New York v. Steven Croman, et al.
- Case No. 450545/2016
- Pending in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York
The New York Attorney General’s Office filed a class action lawsuit against Steven Croman, Anthony Falconite, Croman Real Estate Inc., 9300 Realty Management Inc., 9300 Realty Inc., Falconite LLC, and the special-purpose limited liability real-estate entities over which Steven Croman exercise control alleging violations of city and state law for, among other claims, violations of security deposit laws and unlawful tenant harassment.
Specifically, the allegations against Croman include the following:
1. Using false pretenses and deception to gain access to tenants’ apartments, filing baseless lawsuits against tenants, and serving tenants with false and deceptive rent demands and eviction threats.
2. Failing to protect tenants from lead-paint hazards, violating Department of Health orders to abate lead paint, misleading tenants about lead hazards in their buildings, and failing to provide tenants with required lead notices.
3. Filing false instruments with the Department of Buildings, filing baseless lawsuits against tenants, serving tenants with false rent and eviction notices, and using false pretenses to gain access to tenants’ apartments; and
4. Failing to place tenants’ security deposits in trust accounts, commingling tenants’ security deposits with the companies’ general funds, and unlawfully refusing to return security deposits to tenants.
Complete details about the case and settlement are provided on the New York Croman Tenant Harassment website.
Class members who wish to participate in the settlement must submit a claim form on or before November 4, 2018.
Important Dates
- 11/4/18: Claim Form Deadline
Contact Information
- Mail: Croman Tenant Restitution Fund, c/o JND Legal Administration, P.O. Box 91349, Seattle, WA 98111
- Phone: 1-833-898-4009
- Email: info@CromanRestitutionFund.com
Class Counsel
Settlement Website