Haven Plaza residents rally over response to Legionella concerns

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Residents of Haven Plaza, community advocacy groups and local elected officials gathered yesterday outside the East Village housing complex on Avenue C and 12th Street to demand more transparency and action from city officials following the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the building's water system. 

The rally, hosted by local City Councilmember Harvey Epstein, comes more than a month after the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed the presence of the bacteria at the five-building complex.

Epstein said residents deserve clear, consistent guidance from the Department of Health and shouldn't have to question whether the water coming from their taps or showers is safe. He also called for greater transparency about the remediation effort and a timeline for when it will be completed.

Since the bacteria was detected, residents say they've received inconsistent guidance about showering, bathing and when the building's water will be considered safe. (ABC 7 first covered this here.)

At the rally, Haven Plaza residents said they have spent weeks seeking answers from building management and city agencies about the remediation effort. Several tenants described receiving conflicting information about the risks posed by the bacteria and what precautions they should take. 

Haven Plaza is owned by Catholic Homes, an affiliate of the Archdiocese of New York, and managed by Wavecrest Management. The complex provides 371 units of affordable housing for families and seniors, per its website.

Dana Cruz (below), president of the Haven Plaza Tenants Association, criticized building management for what she described as poor communication and delays in responding to residents' concerns. She said tenants had to purchase their own supplies after the discovery of Legionella bacteria and that promised resources — including portable showers and hoses — never materialized. 

Cruz also said city guidance to residents changed over the course of the response, creating additional confusion.

One Haven Plaza resident who attended the rally told EV Grieve that she remains especially concerned about elderly neighbors and those with disabilities or underlying health conditions, adding that some residents do not have internet access and have struggled to keep up with changing guidance.

"We've been getting conflicting information," she said. "Wouldn't you be worried?" 

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also sharply criticized Wavecrest Management, saying residents deserved clearer communication and a more urgent response.

He assured those gathered that his office would continue monitoring the situation.

Other speakers included Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Keith Powers (seen below with Harvey Epstein).

According to previously published reports, tenants also described ongoing problems with the building's water, including periods without hot water, discolored water and uncertainty about when the water system will be considered safe. 

The Haven Plaza situation is separate from the recent Upper East Side outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, which health officials traced to contaminated cooling towers. 

At Haven Plaza, the investigation centers on the building's plumbing and hot-water system. 

According to The City Reporter in June, the city's Health Department launched an investigation after two cases of Legionnaires' disease were linked to Haven Plaza within a year. Subsequent testing detected Legionella bacteria in more than 20 locations throughout the building's water system, prompting remediation efforts and guidance for residents while follow-up testing continues.

Residents at yesterday's rally said they will continue pressing for clearer communication from management and city agencies, greater transparency about the remediation process, and a timeline for when the building's water system will be considered safe.

In a statement posted on social media last week, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said the agency has provided guidance to Haven Plaza residents and hosted several town halls since the investigation began. The spokesperson added that follow-up testing must show Legionella bacteria is under control before the Health Department concludes its evaluation.

In a story published yesterday morning, Catholic Homes and Wavecrest Management told NY1: "Management is fully committed to the health and safety of the residents and is providing regular updates to the tenant association."