Nelida Godfrey, owner of Taste of Lima, lives and runs her restaurant in a building owned by Steven Croman—who has a reputation as one of New York’s worst landlords and is under investigation by State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
For the past five years, Godfrey has endured threats, false complaints and frivolous lawsuits from Croman, who wants her out of her restaurant and out of her home.
WestView has covered several of Godfrey’s struggles in previous issues—detailing the false anonymous tips to the Health Department that resulted in thug-like “Health Police” scaring away her customers and Croman’s attempt to “destabilize” her rent stabilized apartment (an attempt squashed by the June ruling of Judge Peter Wendt.)
Godfrey continues to fight for her business and her home, but her legal bills are mounting; she says she has spent close to $100,000 over the last 6 months fighting multi-millionaire Croman.
When learning of the harassment she has experienced, local politicians Corey Johnson, Gale Brewer, Brad Hoylman and Deborah Glick joined together to support the pending actions against Croman by the Attorney General.
This ag letter should be for and represent all Croman victim not one person. One person ag will not look at. Also you all politician are isolate out the many hundred victim Croman attacked. This letter is too weak.
We see a lot write up on Croman and falconite. Somehow we never see and write up on croman’s bookkeeping dept and steve yow of New York expediting Inc. A lot of the tenants rent problem comes from hidden in the background. He would never follow dhcr instruction unless the tenant for many years files a story trail of complaint what he was doing and if you are lucky enough to get dhcr to issue warning for a few years maybe he will change his dirty trick. He is responsible with Croman dhcr filing for the rent control and rent stabilized apt. He has been filing false rent calculation I in and refuse to error and error rent math that we feel it’s done on purpose. Not all tenant know how or can afford pay legal help. Those group of tenant let yow win. This include the non English speaking tenants. Bookkeeper plays a 2nd role in taking yow’s false calculated rent placing into rent bill, set up a pattern of behavior in issue monthly late rent bill with late charges or claim tenant did not pay their rent for a whole year From current month going back. Next month the same comes in and the 1st earlier month may drop off. This is not a computer bug. According to business who does rent billing for their client they print off what their client give them in data.
These false calculated rent charges whether Croman have deposit record and or his legal employee refuses them with letter to the tenant. His inhouse lawyer would take these false information and go outsource to find law fief to come in to start non pay case onto the tenant usually hiding back proof.
If that law firm is not smart or is not aware of Croman business behavior they will be sued back. And it have seen in supreme and other ny court cases his lawyer was sued back. Therefore it is very important the media starts to recognize hidden Croman employees.
His victim are market rate rental tenant, rent control, rent stabilized, private home owner, tenant of other landlord residing in private owned building or government subsidy building and other building owner property not own or manage by Croman.
It will be nice if the media stop concentrate on Croman and falconite only and bring out other subject and important hidden Croman employee and document it out.