Cuomo’s Office and Fort Drum create initiative to protect military and civilian tenants from unscrupulous landlords and unfair leasing practices
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (December 21, 2009) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that his office has ordered an out-of-state landlord to immediately cease harassing and threatening primarily military tenants over unverified debts. His office is also coordinating an initiative with Fort Drum to protect military and civilian tenants who work at the base from unscrupulous landlords and unfair leases. Attorney General Cuomo issued a cease-and-desist letter to Peter Hoffman, owner of YNGH, LLC, a rental property owner dealing primarily with military service members and civilians due to its proximity to Fort Drum, ordering immediate compliance with the New York State Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The Attorney General’s Office learned that Hoffman regularly contacted tenants’ chain of command to tell them that the renters were in default on their agreements and owed him substantial money. Furthermore, Cuomo’s Office found that even in instances where these debts were under dispute...