Haven Plaza Tenants Demand Action on Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak

By the Editorial Team · Friday, July 31, 2026

A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at the Haven Plaza apartment complex in Alphabet City has sickened two residents and prompted tenant complaints about inadequate responses from city health officials and property managers. Despite a remediation plan involving chemical treatment underway, residents remain frustrated by the slow pace of action and lack of clear communication, while the city focuses attention on a separate outbreak elsewhere.

Residents of the Haven Plaza apartment complex in Alphabet City are expressing growing frustration over a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak linked to the building’s water system. Tenants say many have refrained from showering for nearly two months as they await a clear response from city health authorities and property management.

Haven Plaza, a five-building, 371-unit development managed by Catholic Homes New York and Wavecrest Management, was originally constructed in the late 1960s as part of an urban renewal initiative. Despite undergoing renovations, tenants maintain that the building is being neglected amid recent health concerns.

Two cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been confirmed among residents, with the first diagnosed in May 2025 and the second this past May. Following a positive test for Legionella bacteria in June, tenants report receiving inconsistent guidance from city health officials, including recommendations to take baths with hoses, avoid showering, or boil water prior to use.

“There is no sense of urgency to actually resolve this problem,” said Dana Cruz, president of the tenants association, who criticized both management and health officials for what she described as slow and inadequate action. Cruz noted that management has declined requests for mobile showers, rent relief, and the provision of safe drinking water during the ongoing treatment.

Kathy Nataadiningrat, a Haven Plaza resident for over four decades, emphasized the residents’ frustration with what they see as a lack of attention from city leadership. “Everything is uptown, not us little people down here,” she said, pointing to a recent focus by Mayor Mamdani on other city issues. On the same day tenants held a rally demanding action, the mayor was touring new housing developments on a double-decker bus.

A remediation plan provided by a tenant indicates that plumbing work began on the previous Tuesday, involving periodic water shutoffs and a proposed 30-day treatment using chemicals to address the contamination. While Catholic Homes and Wavecrest Management stated that the plan had been approved by the city Health Department, detailed information on the vendor, chemicals used, treatment duration, and schedule remains unclear to residents.

The situation at Haven Plaza has unfolded amid increased attention on an unrelated Legionnaires’ outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where authorities recently confirmed a seventh fatality. City officials and the Health Department did not respond to requests for comment on the Haven Plaza case.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.