Report: Attorney General slaps cease-and-desist order on ex-cop accused of hassling tenants on behalf of landlords, including Steve Croman

From the Daily News today:

He's a renter's worst nightmare — an ex-cop authorities say regularly harasses and intimidates rent-stabilized tenants to force them out so their landlord can charge higher rent.

His name is Anthony Falconite, and this week state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman took the unusual step of slapping him with a “cease and desist” order, demanding he halt an increasingly aggressive campaign that’s crossed the legal line.

In documents obtained by the Daily News, Schneiderman charges that Falconite has forced his way into apartments, snapped photos of tenants’ mail and belongings and repeatedly threatened them with eviction.

Tenants say he’s followed them to and from work, confronting them at their jobs about where they really live. He has questioned family members and even tenants’ children. He’s pretended to be a maintenance worker or a FedEx agent to get inside their apartments.

Among his employers, according to the Daily News: Steven Croman of 9300 Realty.

Do you recognize Mr. Falconite? Has he ever approached you in the East Village?

Actually, the new rent for the Snack Dragon space is $4,495

[Image via]

Late last week Snack Dragon proprietor Josephine Jansen told us that her tiny taco stand at 199 E. Third St. will have to close for good on July 31. The reason: Landlord Steve Croman wants to triple the rent to $3,900.

Turns out the rent for the next tenant will somehow even be higher. In a follow-up article on Monday, DNAinfo's Lisha Arino noted that the rent on the 9300 Realty website for No. 199 is $4,495.

Small, vented restaurant available for 1 August move in on East 3rd St, steps from Ave B. Good dining corridor - Fonda, Root & Bone, Ethiopia Meskel, Café Cortadito, Poco NYC and others.

The COO of 9300 Realty told DANinfo that Jansen was the one who wouldn't negotiate a new lease and only offered to pay $200 more a month for the "way under market rate" space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Watch a lot of people speak out against Steve Croman and 9300 Realty

Cromanated: The East Village Snack Dragon Taco Shack is closing

Cromanated: The East Village Snack Dragon Taco Shack is closing

[Image via]

Snack Dragon proprietor Josephine Jansen broke the news to us yesterday. Her eclectic sliver of a taco stand and hangout at 199 E. Third St. just west of Avenue B will close for good on July 31.

A familiar reason and a familiar figure are behind the impending closure.

"[Landlord Steve] Croman wants to triple the rent to $3,900 for 100 square feet of public space and a tiny basement," she said. "They will not negotiate the lease."

For now, the Williamsburg Snack Dragon will remain open.

Snack Dragon opened nearly 10 years ago around the corner on Avenue B, in a vacant smoothie stand outside Ben's Deli. Jansen inexplicably ran afoul of the East Village Nightlife Task Force and had to close. She moved into her current space in August 2006.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Watch a lot of people speak out against Steve Croman and 9300 Realty

Watch a lot of people speak out against Steve Croman and 9300 Realty

[Photo via an Angry Croman Tenant]

This past Saturday, a few dozen residents gathered in Tompkins Square Park for an "East Village Tenant Parade" … the group's target — notorious landlord Steve Croman of 9300 Realty.

There were a number of speakers, including State Sen. Brad Hoylman …



You can find other speaker videos here.

The Stop Croman Coalition and The Good Old Lower East Side sponsored the event.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Gentrification, Steve Croman targets of this East Village tenant parade

Reminders today: East Village tenant parade

See our post here for more details.

Gentrification, Steve Croman targets of this East Village tenant parade

Via the EVG inbox…

You are invited to attend a press conference at Tompkins Square Park and join an East Village Parade to resist gentrification in NYC communities. The loss of affordable regulated housing in the East Village and the displacement of tenants have been caused by landlords like Steven and Harriet Croman of 9300 Realty.

This landlord currently owns about 70 buildings in the East Village alone and hundreds throughout the city. He has been exploiting the vacancy decontrol laws for over 20 years using abusive tactics to force tenants out of rent-regulated apartments.

After the press conference the parade will go to Croman’s 9300 Realty buildings in the area to reach out to his tenants. Many of Croman’s tenants have the same problems and need to know how to protect their rights.

Paradise Alley
The parade will stop at Paradise Alley to dramatize the difficulty of being an artist in NYC today. On Avenue A and East 11th St. the building known as Paradise Alley was located before being replaced by the current building in 1987. While this little-known location is famous for the beat artists, musicians and writers from the 1950s and 1960s, there is a lesser-known association with East Village artists during the depression.

In 1938, Paradise Alley was known as a bohemian artists’ colony. The landlord raised rents so high that the residents refused to pay it. The landlord got evictions but when the artists still refused to leave, the landlord got the police to brake down the doors and evicted the artists at gunpoint. This event in 1938 mirrors what artists are experiencing today in NYC.

Rent Freeze
The goal of the Parade action is also to alert the East Village tenant community about the need to support the Rent Freeze. Mayor de Blasio is asking the RGB to impose a rent freeze this year to put a brake on rising rents. NYC tenants have to demand the same with feet on the street.

Come to the East Village Tenant Parade and Paradise Alley remembrance. The parade will move through the East Village starting at noon at the corner of East Seventh Street and Avenue A.

Sponsored by The Stop Croman Coalition and The Good Old Lower East Side

Here is an article about Croman from a May 2000 issue of The Village Voice.

There's a 'Stop Croman' rally tomorrow morning at the New York Supreme Court building

From the EVG inbox tonight…



Lima's Taste was originally on East 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue… the restaurant is now on Christopher and Bedford… And here is one of the posters that a tenant created for tomorrow morning…

Report: Extortion claims highlight Croman suit vs. former Warhol muse

There's legal drama involving four neighborhood buildings. The Real Deal has the scoop about Croman Real Estate suing socialite and former Warhol muse "Baby Jane" Holzer.

According to the suit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan Supreme Court, Croman reached a deal with Holzer in December 2012 to buy four rental apartment buildings she owns — 60 Avenue B, 159-161 Stanton Street, 193-195 Stanton Street and 343 East 8th Street — for a total of $40.1 million.

But Holzer is now threatening to rent out 18 empty rent-stabilized apartments in the buildings unless the buyers pay her an additional $2.5 million, Croman claims.

Croman claims Holzer is trying to extort millions of dollars from them.

Read the whole article here.

H/T Curbed

An update on James Panitz

[Photo of James from last year courtesy of Damian Panitz]

Last October, we told you the story of James Panitz in a post titled Despite plea, landlord doubling rent on East Village family with cancer-stricken 2 year old.

Shortly before his 2nd birthday, doctors diagnosed James with rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer often found in children. He lives with his parents, Damian Panitz and Kate Perry, on East First Street. (Last September, friends and neighbors held "James Day," a benefit in First Park to help cover medical expenses.)

While James was undergoing intensive chemo and radiation therapy, they learned that their landlord, Steve Croman of Croman Realty/Croman 9300, was doubling their rent from $2,100 to $4,100. At the time, James, a technician with NYU, and Kate, a nurse, could not afford the price bump. Worse, moving James during his extensive treatment could have been detrimental to his recovery.

Last fall, Damian said Croman reps were not receptive to just a 10 percent rent hike while James recovered. They said they'd move out as soon as James was well enough.

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That was the last we heard from Damian. This past weekend, he provided an update.

First, the really good news. While doctors will continue to monitor James for a few more years, "so far he is doing great," Damian reported.

"It's been almost eight weeks since my son's final chemotherapy session," Damian said. "We had an entire six weeks without a clinic visit, an emergency room visit."

As for the housing situation, shortly after the story on James appeared, Damian said that they received a six-month extension without the rent hike.

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Damian and Kate are making plans to move by the end of May. Unfortunately, they are having challenges finding an apartment in their price range in the East Village.

"We would love to stay in our neighborhood, but everywhere we've looked the prices are [too expensive]. We are looking at Brooklyn. We hope to find something not too crippling. It's funny, you'd think two hard-working people could find a place around here," said Damian, a longtime East Village resident. (His mother's family emigrated to St. Mark's Place in the early 1920s from Bratislava, Slovakia.)

Meanwhile, he said that Croman is letting the current property go on East First Street. Workers removed all of the yard furniture, BBQ and garden buckets out back.

"Since then we've had a rat infestation — these rats are huge. I am afraid to take the trash out at night," Damian said. "As soon as I open the back door, they go running. Scattering all over the place, under your feet and up the walls. At night you can hear the rats fighting over a parcel of trash with trash can lids clinking."

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"In summary I have a lot to be grateful for. My son is doing well. It's terrific to have a sense that he will grow up."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Despite plea, landlord doubling rent on East Village family with cancer-stricken 2 year old

Tomorrow in First Park: 'James Day,' benefit for 2 year old with cancer

The clinic that treated James is having a walkathon on May 19 on the Upper West Side to raise funds and spread awareness of children's cancers. People do not have give money — you can simply walk, learn about childhood cancers and gain knowledge that could be passed on to other families. Find more details here.

Despite plea, landlord doubling rent on East Village family with cancer-stricken 2 year old

On Sept. 22, members of the community came together to organize a fundraiser called "James Day" in First Park in support of James Panitz.

Shortly before his 2nd birthday this past spring, doctors diagnosed James with rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer often found in children. He has been undergoing intensive chemo and radiation therapy, and while the results are encouraging, a long course of treatment remains ahead of him. The related medical expenses have been overwhelming for his family.

James' father Damian Panitz, a longtime East Village resident who is a teacher and technician at NYU, said that while the event was a success and raised funds to help with medical expenses, the family now faces a new challenge.

Damian and his wife Kate Perry recently learned that their landlord, Steve Croman of Croman Realty/Croman 9300, is nearly doubling their rent on East First Street from $2,100 to $4,100 a month.

"We absolutely cannot afford this price bump," Damian told me. "And to move in the middle of my son's treatment could be disastrous to his health."

[Photo of James courtesy of Damian Panitz]

So, when paying the October rent in person at the Croman office on Broadway, Damian's wife Kate outlined the situation to a Croman rep, explaining that they needed one more year until James is healthier.

Per Damian:

She explained that we could not possibly sign a lease for $4,100 but pleaded that if our rent were to raise would he be so nice to consider a 10 percent raise? His attitude was snarky. He said they are running a business and not a charity and he could possibly find something cheaper for us somewhere else.

She explained again that moving out in January could be detrimental to his condition, not to mention we work nearby and the ability to check on our son during our breaks is essential. He then said "so you want me to do you a favor?" She said no, do a favor for a 2 year old boy with cancer. It's just one more year.

Damian says they were planning on moving after Croman bought the building 18 months ago. However, James' illness has complicated any move.

"We figured we would wait out the lease and go. However, since our son has been ill, it is suggested we keep him where he is until he hopefully regains his health."

The family hopes to continue to plead their case to Croman. As a backup, they'll try to quickly find another affordable apartment in the neighborhood, where Damian and Kate want to stay.

"My mother's family emigrated to St. Mark's Place in the early 1920s from Bratislava, Slovakia," Damian said. "My uncle has lived in the East Village for 45 years," he said. "And now I would like to raise my son here."