New York Attorney General Letitia James has secured a legal victory against River Valley Estates, LLC, a mobile home park in Sullivan County, for violating state laws and endangering residents. Judge Meagan Galligan of the New York Supreme Court found River Valley and its owners, George Levin and Gayla Sue Levin, responsible for failing to provide clean water consistently to residents and imposing illegal fees and rent increases.
According to the court’s findings, River Valley’s actions resulted in residents facing raw sewage overflow, frequent water outages, polluted water, and other unsafe living conditions. The court also determined that the company charged unlawful fees and rent hikes totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars and entered into leases that did not protect tenants’ rights.
“Every New Yorker deserves a safe place to live with access to clean water,” said Attorney General James. “Not only were River Valley residents forced to suffer through years of dangerous conditions in their community, but they were also charged hundreds of thousands of dollars in unlawful fees and rent hikes. This treatment is illegal and unjustified, and today’s victory is a major step toward securing true justice for River Valley families.”
Attorney General James filed suit against River Valley Estates in October 2024. The lawsuit outlined how more than 200 residents had endured hazardous conditions since 2017 due to neglected water systems at the park. Residents reported frequent boil water orders and service interruptions that required them to spend personal funds on clean water supplies. Descriptions of the tap water included words like putrid, sulfuric, sandy, gritty, with an oily film.
Beyond health concerns related to inadequate water infrastructure, residents—many from low-income backgrounds—faced added costs for clean water purchases and off-site laundry services. One resident called these extra expenses a “hidden tax of living at River Valley Estates.” In some cases, uncertainty about access to safe water led tenants to rent additional lots elsewhere.
The court found that River Valley imposed illegal fees such as a three percent surcharge on credit or debit card rent payments. Additionally, in August 2022 all 229 park residents were assessed a $39.50 garbage fee without proper notification. From 2019 through 2023 the company increased rents during lease terms in violation of tenant protection laws.
This case marks the first time a manufactured home park owner has been held liable under provisions of the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act.
Attorney General James is seeking over $2 million in restitution for affected residents along with more than $200,000 in civil penalties. The court will review further arguments before deciding on final remedies.
The action against River Valley follows several recent initiatives by Attorney General James aimed at protecting renters across New York State. In April she reached a settlement with Capital Region property owners who illegally denied housing based on use of assistance programs; similar settlements have been secured regarding lead paint violations in December 2024 ($6.5 million), improper denial of housing opportunities by Shamco Management Corp ($400,000) in August 2024, discriminatory practices by Westchester broker Pasquale Marciano in February 2024, as well as agreements addressing lead paint hazards with landlords in Syracuse earlier this year.
The current matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Justin Haines from the Poughkeepsie Regional Office under supervision from Vinita Kamath (Assistant Attorney General in Charge). Additional support came from Associate Director Casandra Walker; Administrative Assistant Sashawna Isaacs; student assistants Shoshana Goldman, Andrew Kohler, Eleni Mananas, Jay Pozzuto; Deputy Attorney General Jill Faber (Division of Regional Affairs); overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
