New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced new protections for 25 low-income families who were displaced from their homes at the Los Flamboyanes affordable housing complex in Rochester. The displacement occurred in March 2025 as part of a demolition and redevelopment project managed by Landsman Real Estate Services, Inc. and Landsman Development Corp. According to the Attorney General’s office, Landsman did not inform tenants of their right to return to the newly built homes and failed to provide adequate relocation payments, including coverage for utility bills.
“No one should be forced out of their home and denied the necessary resources to find a safe and affordable place to live,” said Attorney General James. “Today’s agreement puts money back in the pockets of Los Flamboyanes tenants who were misinformed of their rights and denied full relocation payments. My office will always stand up for tenants’ rights and ensure Los Flamboyanes residents can return to their homes.”
Landsman first notified tenants about possible displacement in April 2024, followed by a 90-day notice in December 2024 requiring them to vacate by March 31, 2025. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that these notices did not fully inform tenants of their rights and that relocation payments were insufficient. Although Landsman was required by law to cover increased rent and utilities until construction was finished, eligible tenants were told they would receive a lump sum capped at $9,570.
In April 2025, OAG reached a settlement with Landsman for over $271,000 in additional Replacement Housing Payments (RHP) for tenants whose costs exceeded initial payments. The agreement also mandated that Landsman survey tenants about further expenses such as application fees and utility setup costs. However, OAG later determined that Landsman did not fulfill these requirements and conducted its own survey, which revealed many tenants had uncovered expenses related to relocation and utilities.
Some residents paid more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities during this period; several fell behind on rent or faced eviction risks. Tenants reported poor living conditions in Los Flamboyanes townhomes before moving out, including pest infestations with cockroaches, mice, or bedbugs. These issues forced some families to use their relocation funds on new furniture or appliances rather than future housing costs.
Attorney General James has now secured a second settlement ensuring all eligible Los Flamboyanes tenants receive compensation from Landsman and are informed about their right to return when construction is completed—expected in April 2027. The agreement also protects against eviction or utility shut-offs while residents are relocated. Each tenant will receive an additional $300 for application fees and utility reconnection charges related to moving. The OAG will oversee communications between Landsman and affected tenants regarding construction updates as required by law.
This action is part of ongoing efforts by Attorney General James to protect vulnerable renters across New York State. Recent actions include lawsuits against property owners over unsafe conditions in Orange County, halting illegal discrimination against low-income renters in Montgomery County, settlements addressing denial of housing assistance recipients in the Capital Region, financial penalties against Shamco Management Corp., and agreements stopping illegal rental policies by real estate brokers.
The case is being handled under the Rochester Community Partnership initiative led by Jane Landry-Reyes from the Housing Protection Unit with oversight from Brent Meltzer; Francisca Montana leads community engagement efforts within this initiative. Other officials involved include Amaris Elliott-Engel from the Rochester Regional Office under Ted O’Brien’s supervision; both units operate within divisions overseen by Meghan Faux (Division for Social Justice), Jill Faber (Regional Offices Division), and Jennifer Levy (First Deputy Attorney General).
The New York Attorney General promotes social justice through civil rights enforcement and consumer advocacy (official website). The office provides services such as consumer fraud investigations, charities oversight, tenant dispute mediation (official website), operates regional offices statewide (official website), protects public safety, defends civil rights (official website), preserves the environment (official website), functions as a public law enforcement agency (official website), and is headed by Letitia James (official website).
