Tenants in buildings owned by one of New York’s most notorious landlords have suffered for years. Could Zohran Mamdani’s new housing plan, which pledges to beef up the city’s capacity to go after negligent owners, make a difference?
Cynthia Chaffee and her husband Peter in their home on E18th Street in Manhattan. The pair are flanked by boxes containing records from their decades-long fight against landlord Steve Croman. Photo: Adi Talwar/City Limits
Cynthia Chaffee has been fighting her landlord, Steven Croman, for decades. Her rent-stabilized Gramercy apartment is overrun with stacks of boxes and cabinets holding thousands of files relating to her work as founder of the Stop Croman Coalition, a tenant organization that she has helmed for nearly 20 years, dedicated to chronicling his alleged misdeeds.
Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in.
Please visit My Account to manage your account.
City Limits uses investigative journalism through the prism of New York City to identify urban problems, examine their causes, explore solutions and equip communities to take action. City Limits exists to inform democracy and empower citizens to create a more just city. City Limits is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by foundation support, ad sponsorship and donations from readers.