NY AG Slams Landsman over Rochester Tenant Abuse

NUEVA YORK – The New York Attorney General (NYAG), Letitia James, has announced new protections for 25 low-income families in Rochester who were forced to abandon their affordable homes in March 2025. The townhouses, part of the affordable housing complex Los Flamboyanes, faced a demolition and reurbanization plan supervised by Landsman Real Estate Services, Inc., and Landsman Development Corp. (Landsman). Landsman failed not only to notify tenants of their right to return to the newly constructed homes but also did not pay sufficient relocation payments, including utility bills, ensuring financial protection against eviction during the reconstruction. Today’s agreement guarantees that tenants will be informed of their right to return to Los Flamboyanes in April 2027, the estimated completion date of the construction, and provides additional compensation.

“Nobody should be forced out of their home or deprived of the resources needed to find a safe and affordable place to live,” stated Attorney General James. “Today’s agreement returns the money to Los Flamboyanes tenants who were misinformed about their rights and denied full relocation payments. My office will always defend tenant rights and ensure that residents of Los Flamboyanes can return to their homes.”

Landsman first informed Los Flamboyanes tenants they might be evicted due to a renovation project in April 2024. In December 2024, Landsman issued a 90-day eviction notice to the remaining tenants occupying the townhouses, instructing them to vacate their dwellings before March 31, 2025. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) determined both notices violated the law by not providing complete and precise information to the tenants and that Landsman did not pay adequate relocation payments. Landsman is legally required to cover the costs of relocation for tenants, including increased rent and utilities until the new townhouses are completed. However, Landsman informed eligible tenants they would receive a one-time relocation payment capped at only $9,570.

In April 2025, the OAG reached an agreement with Landsman to provide more than $271,000 in additional Residential Reimbursement Payments (RHP) to tenants whose housing and utility costs during the construction of Los Flamboyanes exceeded Landsman’s global payments. The agreement also required Landsman to conduct a survey of tenants and pay additional relocation costs, including application fees and pocket expenses for setting up utilities and other services. A subsequent investigation by the OAG revealed that Landsman failed to comply with the agreement, prompting the OAG to conduct an independent survey of all Los Flamboyanes tenants. This survey revealed that many faced relocation and utility costs not covered by the initial global payments.

Some tenants ended up paying more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities, and several were behind in rent and faced possible eviction. Tenants told the OAG they were living in poor conditions at Los Flamboyanes townhouses, including pest problems and other issues. The NYAG’s intervention ensures that these families will receive the compensation and protection they deserve.