Sunday, January 08, 2017

Another Group Of Poor Tenants Face Mass Eviction Over Landlord's Failure To Pay $50K+ In Overdue Water & Sewer Bills; City To Hold Off On Utilities Shutoff While Local Non-Profits Step In To Assist In Relocating Residents

In Flint, Michigan, WNEM-TV Channel 8 reports:
  • While the temperatures outside might be a bit on the warm side, some Mid-Michigan residents feel like they have been left out in the cold.

    Several families at Lakeside Apartments in Flint were given eviction notices last week, but said their rent is paid up. The apartment complex owes the city of Flint thousands of dollars in outstanding water bills.

    The residents there are being told they have two weeks to get out.

    "He's taking our money and he's not paying the bills. We were told utilities were included with rent. Well, what are you going with the rent," said Linda Mills, tenant.

    Mike Kelvin's name is listed as the owner on eviction notices that went out at the complex. Residents said they have not seen his face and he will not return their phone calls.

    "I've been paying my rent on time like it's supposed to been paid, but now that everything has been going down like it has left and right, I stopped my rent in September. It's just pitiful," said Brittany King, tenant.

    Mills and King are two of several tenants left at the complex after their landlord racked up more than $50,000 worth of past due water and sewer bills. The city said it will cut off water services at the complex after all of the tenants have been relocated.

    Community organizations like the United Way and the Red Cross have worked to relocate many of the residents already.

    Mills and King plan to ride it out until the last day, which was supposed to be this week. However, it has been pushed back to Jan. 8.

    "I'm still not sure where I'm going to go, where I have to go because I do have two children and I have to make sure they have a roof over their head," King said.

    Lisia Williams is a community advocate who has been working to place tenants in temporary housing.

    "He really took advantage of the situation and to falsely put out this eviction notice on these tenants to put more fear and threaten them when they're barely surviving as it is. And he hasn't even stepped forth to come out here," Williams said.

    Residents said the situation prevented them from celebrating Christmas this year and they just want their landlord to be held accountable for what they are going through.