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• 1. Todt Hill Houses (NYCHA): notable people publicly linked to the development

     Quick reality check (so this stays accurate)

     Unlike some NYCHA developments that are heavily covered in music/sports history, there aren’t many widely documented “celebrity” alumni of Todt Hill Houses in mainstream sources. The one consistently named, well-known former resident is Drita D’Avanzo (VH1’s Mob Wives). 1

     That said, NYCHA publications also highlight community leaders, scholarship winners, and small-business owners from Todt Hill Houses—people who are “notable” in civic/community terms even if they aren’t nationally famous. 2

     About the NYCHA development (context)

     Todt Hill Houses is a NYCHA public-housing development on Staten Island (often associated with Manor Heights). It was completed in 1950 and is commonly cited as the first public housing project in Staten Island, consisting of 7 buildings with about 502 apartments (housing roughly ~1,000 residents). 3

     1) Drita D’Avanzo — Reality TV personality; beauty/makeup career

     Why she’s notable: She’s the most frequently cited “famous former resident” of Todt Hill Houses.

     • Connection to Todt Hill Houses: Multiple sources describe Drita as having grown up in Todt Hill Houses, and one long-form piece explicitly calls her the development’s most famous former resident. 1
     • What made her popular: Drita became nationally known as a main cast member on VH1’s reality series Mob Wives, which premiered April 17, 2011 and ran through 2016 (she’s widely described as one of the breakout stars). 4
     • Career beyond TV: Sources commonly describe her work as a makeup artist and her move into beauty entrepreneurship, including launching her own cosmetics branding/lines and doing beauty-related media. 5

     In plain terms: She got famous from reality TV (Mob Wives), and she used that platform to build a beauty/makeup-related business identity. 6

     2) Diane Fleming — NYCHA community/economic-empowerment leader (locally notable)

     Why she’s notable: Not a celebrity, but a publicly profiled Todt Hill Houses resident who moved into a borough-wide NYCHA leadership role.

     • Connection to Todt Hill Houses: NYCHA’s own publication says she lived at Todt Hill Houses for 15 years and served as Resident Association President. 2
     • What she’s known for (career): She became Staten Island’s REES (Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability) Zone Coordinator, a role focused on connecting residents to education, workforce development, financial empowerment, and business resources. 2

     In plain terms: She’s notable for resident leadership + NYCHA economic opportunity work, not entertainment fame. 2

     3) Jonathan Alexander — small business owner (food/catering) featured by NYCHA (community notable)

     Why he’s notable: A documented example of entrepreneurship coming out of the development.

     • Connection to Todt Hill Houses: NYCHA wrote a feature describing him as a Todt Hill Houses resident. 7
     • What he’s known for (career): He’s the owner of L’Boe Catering and was highlighted for preparing and delivering meals to NYCHA residents and for building a catering business. 7

     4) Grace Theresa Agalo-os — NYCHA–CUNY scholarship recipient (education notable)

     Why she’s notable: Not “popular” in a celebrity sense, but publicly recognized for academic achievement.

     • Connection to Todt Hill Houses: NYCHA’s scholarship announcement lists her residence as Todt Hill Houses. 8
     • What she’s known for (career path): She was a John Jay College student (Political Science) recognized through the NYCHA–CUNY Resident Scholarship program. 8

     If you meant “Todt Hill” (the neighborhood) rather than Todt Hill Houses (NYCHA)

     People often mix these up because Todt Hill is also a well-known Staten Island neighborhood. If your intent was the broader neighborhood, there are additional notable names (for example, former Mets closer John Franco has been reported living there, and mob figure Paul Castellano is historically associated with a Todt Hill mansion). 9
     But those are not documented as coming from the NYCHA development.

     Bottom line

     • Nationally famous alum (clearly documented): Drita D’Avanzo (Mob Wives, makeup/beauty business). 1
     • Other publicly documented “notable” people tied to the development tend to be NYCHA/community leaders, entrepreneurs, and scholarship recipients, as highlighted by NYCHA publications. 2

     If you want, I can also compile a separate list of notable people linked to Todt Hill (neighborhood) vs Todt Hill Houses (NYCHA) in a clean side-by-side table format (so it’s easy to see which is which).

     The Todt Hill Houses (a NYCHA development in the Manor Heights/Todt Hill section of Staten Island) is often described as one of the most unique and well-maintained public housing projects in New York City. Because of its location in a suburban, high-elevation area, it has a different reputation than many other developments.12

     Here are the famous or notable people specifically linked to the Todt Hill Houses:

     1. Drita D’Avanzo
     • Career: Reality TV Star and Businesswoman.
     • Brief Info: Drita is the most famous former resident of the Todt Hill Houses.23 She rose to national fame as a lead cast member on the VH1 reality series Mob Wives, which ran from 2011 to 2016. The daughter of Albanian immigrants, she grew up in the development and has frequently spoken about her childhood there, noting that it was a safe and close-knit community compared to the stereotypes of “the projects.”
     2. Earn EZ (Ernest L. Moore)
     • Career: Professional Wrestler.
     • Brief Info: A well-known figure in the local New York independent wrestling scene, Earn EZ is a staple of Staten Island’s Warriors of Wrestling (WOW) organization. He grew up in the Todt Hill Houses and has used his platform to represent his neighborhood, often being cited in local media as a “success story” from the development.
     3. Timothy Gardner123
     • Career: Guinness World Record Contender / Artist.
     • Brief Info: While perhaps not a “celebrity” in the traditional sense, Gardner gained fame for creating what was once the world’s largest ball of rubber bands.3 He began the project as an 11-year-old while living in the Todt Hill Houses as a way to stay out of trouble. His massive creation (weighing over 400 lbs) has been displayed at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden and was featured in various human-interest news stories.
     4. Vicki Vicious
     • Career: Rapper and Social Media Personality.
     • Brief Info: She is a local Staten Island rapper who gained a following on YouTube and social media for her gritty lyrics about life in the borough. She is often mentioned in articles about the artistic “characters” that have emerged from the Todt Hill development.

     Important Distinctions & Clarifications

     Because the name “Todt Hill” is associated with both the NYCHA Houses and the wealthy neighborhood on the hill itself, people often confuse residents of the two.

     • Paul Castellano: You may hear his name associated with Todt Hill.4 He was the boss of the Gambino crime family. However, he did not live in the NYCHA houses. He lived in a massive 17-room mansion on the ridge of Todt Hill known as the “White House.” He was famously assassinated in front of Sparks Steak House in 1985.
     • The Wu-Tang Clan: While the Wu-Tang Clan is the face of Staten Island (“Shaolin”), most of the core members (like RZA, Ghostface Killah, and Method Man) grew up in the Stapleton Houses or the Park Hill (Killa Hill) apartments. While they likely spent time at Todt Hill, it is not their primary “home” development.
     • “Todt Hill University” (THU): Local residents often refer to the development as “THU.”3 It is known for producing many high-level high school and college athletes (particularly in basketball), though many remained local legends rather than pursuing professional careers.