Full Breakdown
Bronx Landlords Hit with $31 Million Judgment: A Deep Dive
5/7/2026, 9:19:42 PM
The Judgment
A New York City court issued a $31 million judgment against the owners of the Robert Fulton Houses and Fordham Towers on May 7 2026. The decision follows a 2024 lawsuit that accused landlords Karan Singh and Rajmattie Persaud of permitting hazardous conditions for years. The city also secured a $2 million settlement with A&E Real Estate over violations in 14 other buildings.
Background
Tenants have long reported broken fixtures, lack of heat and hot water, faulty elevators, crumbling balconies, vermin, and a trash-compactor room filled with human feces for a month. The Legal Aid Society helped residents bring the case, seeking repairs and accountability.
Key Players
Mayor Zohran Mamdani led the enforcement drive. Commissioner Dina Levy pledged to prioritize the most dangerous repairs. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson endorsed the judgment. Tenants Smitty Smith, Wanda Townsend, and Denise Philip described the conditions they endured.
Numbers
- Judgment: $31 million.
- Immediate repair fund: $900,000.
- Additional settlement: $2 million with A&E Real Estate.
- Violations: heat, water, elevators, balconies, vermin, and month-long feces accumulation.
Official Statements
Mayor Mamdani called the settlement “more than just a conversation of patchwork solutions,” stressing the city’s aim to end landlord impunity. Levy said the department will “ask the receiver to address the most dangerous repairs first.” Gibson added the city will “make the urgent repairs needed today and also the long-term improvements tenants deserve.”
Criticism
Tenants question whether any of the $31 million will reach them directly. Smith asked, “Out of the $31 million, are they going to give us some money?” Townsend highlighted the month-long feces issue, and Philip warned landlords have ignored repairs despite rent.
Gaps
The judgment does not set a repair timeline or a clear fund-distribution plan, and oversight beyond a chief restructuring officer is vague.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As the years wore on the dream of luxury you can afford descended into a nightmare,” — Mayor Zohran Mamdani
- “Out of the $31 million, are they going to give us some money? What’s coming directly to the tenant population for our long suffering?” — Smitty Smith, tenant
- “It was human feces for almost a month in the compactor room for almost a month. I was wondering when they were going to clean it up. How could you empty your trash in the incinerator,” — Wanda Townsend, tenant
- “This is more than just a conversation of patchwork solutions,” — Mayor Zohran Mamdani
- “This is our home, I've been here my entire life, three apartments, place to place, and I'm not going anywhere,” — Denise Philip, tenant
- “And we will not only make the urgent repairs that are needed today, but also the long-term improvements that tenants deserve.” — Vanessa Gibson, Bronx Borough President
What’s Next
The city will name a chief restructuring officer to oversee repairs and prioritize dangerous sites. Ongoing monitoring will aim to ensure that the allocated funds translate into concrete improvements for residents.
