For immediate release: March 28, 2025

Contact: Anna Baker-Heans annab@coopersquare.org

Brandon Kielbasa Bkielbasa@coopersquare.org

Unpermitted work and other conditions result in a full stop work order and 18 hefty violations issued by NYC Dept. of Buildings

New York, NY—On March 27, 2025, the 159 Stanton Street Tenants Association filed a contempt of court motion against convicted felon and landlord Steve Croman and Centennial Properties (formerly 9300 Realty), alleging that he has violated terms of a court agreement reached in 2017. This will be the Tenants Association’s third legal action against Steve Croman in the last eight years.

In 2016, the 159 Stanton Street Tenants Association filed an HP Action against Croman and 9300 Realty in Manhattan Housing Court. Reckless demolition work in the building had caused hazards including dust and debris to spread throughout the building, collapsed ceilings, etc. Residents often felt the building shaking and became concerned that the work might have compromised its structural integrity. 

After tenants filed the suit, NYC Dept. of Buildings (DOB) inspections in the winter of 2017 uncovered serious code violations, including the removal of load-bearing and/or structural support walls, which had caused upper floors to sag, and the stripping of fire-stopping materials from multiple apartments. DOB issued a partial vacate order and ordered Croman to post a 24-hour fire guard in lieu of a full vacate order.

Even after those harrowing events, tenants have continued to endure dangerous conditions. Alarmingly, on June 27, 2024, workmen were heard doing unpermitted construction work in vacant apartments, then seen carrying out what appeared to be a temporary structural support from the third floor. These supports were installed under DOB supervision to stabilize the building’s sagging floors in 2017 and without these structural supports the building would become unstable. 

In response to a tenant’s 311 complaint, DOB repeatedly attempted inspections, but could not gain access to all units for inspection. After tenants appealed to the DOB and the court-imposed monitor of Croman’s buildings, an inspection on September 26, 2024 of vacant apartments on the second and third floors resulted in a full stop work order and numerous serious new violations relating to construction, electrical, and plumbing work and more. On October 18, 2024, DOB issued an additional violation for failure to comply with a commissioner’s order within seven days. On January 21, 2025, DOB made another inspection and issued eight more serious violations. 

All of this comes in the context of several recent, high-profile building collapses due to structural instability issues. In the Bronx, 1915 Billingsley Terrace suffered a partial collapse on Dec. 11, 2023; and the Ann Street parking garage collapsed in Lower Manhattan on April 18, 2023, killing one and injuring several others.

Besides the likely mishandling of the temporary structural supports, the 159 Stanton Street tenants have also recently endured a long list of substandard building conditions, which include:

  • Pest infestations, including roaches
  • Filthy floors, dead vermin, and clutter in the stairwell 
  • Heavy kitchen cabinet falling off of a tenant’s wall during a leak from the ceiling
  • Workers leaving windows in some of the vacant apartments open for long periods, exposing the building’s interior to the elements and allowing access to intruders

Below tenants, elected officials, and advocates weigh in on the building conditions and new court filing:

Weiben Wang, a member of the 159 Stanton Street Tenants Association, said, “Steve Croman threatened our homes and our safety by removing load bearing walls during a ‘renovation.’ To this day the fourth floor is held up by ‘temporary’ supports (they’ve been there since 2017). He continues to threaten our safety with unpermitted work and unsafe conditions. We tenants have a right to feel safe and secure in our homes, and construction that doesn’t disrupt and threaten our lives.”

An anonymous member of the 159 Stanton Street Tenants Association said, “Tenants are fed up with living in dangerous conditions even after Croman’s jail time, the AG consent decree, and our own strong legal agreement about construction conditions at 159 Stanton Street. Our agreement is strong, but Croman still has workmen in the building without permits endangering our homes and our lives.”

State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Chair of the Senate Housing Committee, who represents the residents of 159 Stanton Street, said: “It is unacceptable that after years of litigation, as well as stop work orders, safety violations, fines, and penalties issued by the City, the tenants of 159 Stanton Street still have to fight Steve Croman – a landlord with a well-documented history of putting profits over people – for the safe, well-maintained, and dignified housing that all New Yorkers need and deserve. I will continue working with and supporting these tenants until their building is fully in compliance with all relevant housing, health, and safety codes.”

“I am fully supportive of the legal action taken by these tenants to protect their homes and demand that their rights be upheld. Croman is an infamous landlord, but still a symptom of a system that enables this kind of unbridled tenant harassment. This is about physical safety and a very basic standard of living, and it is a shame that conditions at this site have persisted for so long seemingly with no real consequence. I am grateful for these tenants for taking a stand, and they have my full support going forward. I hope this serves as an example for other buildings organize against such patterns of landlord abuse and neglect which continue to plague our City,” said Council Member Christopher Marte.

“Landlord Steve Croman is a convicted criminal who has egregiously abandoned his responsibility as a landlord,” said Assemblymember Grace Lee.  “He has neglected and abused tenants at 159 Stanton Street for years. I stand with the tenants of 159 Stanton Street in their fight for safe, dignified housing, and support their legal efforts.” 

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