River Valley Estates Slapped with Lawsuit Over Unsafe Living Conditions & Rent Hikes

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a decisive victory in her lawsuit against River Valley Estates, LLC (River Valley) for years of mistreating residents and illegal rent increases.

Judge Meagan Galligan of the New York Supreme Court in Sullivan County found River Valley and its owners, George Levin and Gayla Sue Levin, guilty of violating numerous New York laws designed to protect the health and safety of manufactured home park tenants. The court held that the defendants were responsible for causing residents to suffer from raw sewage flooding into their homes, regular water outages, contaminated tap water, and other hazardous living conditions.

Attorney General James commented, “Every New Yorker deserves a safe place to live with access to clean water. River Valley residents not only endured years of dangerous conditions but were also charged hundreds of thousands of dollars in unlawful fees and rent hikes. Today’s victory is a significant step towards securing justice for these families.”

The lawsuit, filed by AG James in October 2024, accused River Valley of failing to maintain its water systems since 2017, resulting in over 200 residents facing boil water orders and occasional complete shutdowns of their water supply. Residents have described the tap water as putrid and unsafe for consumption.

On top of health hazards, residents faced additional financial burdens due to costs associated with purchasing clean water, installing home filtration systems, and washing laundry at alternative facilities. The unpredictability of boil water notices and lack of service added severe distress to residents who often had no choice but to seek safe water elsewhere.

The court found River Valley guilty of charging illegal fees, rent increases during lease terms without proper notice, and imposing a permanent $39.50 garbage fee on all residents without adequate notification. Residents were also charged an illegal three percent fee for using credit or debit cards to pay rent.