By Sean Nestor
Special to The Truth
On Thursday, October 9, embattled residents of Executive Towers on Collingwood Boulevard finally met with their landlord over two months after an attempt by that landlord to force them out of the neglected property.
President of Property Management Oksana Luk and District Manager Shayla Morris of Denizen Management met with about a dozen tenants organized by the newly-formed Executive Towers Tenant Association in the first-floor lobby of the building two months after serving those tenants a four-day eviction notice. The eviction notice, sent August 4, was rescinded August 5 following public outcry.
Denizen Management made the decision to pursue eviction after receiving a public nuisance order from the City of Toledo on August 1. The order indicated serious problems with standing water throughout the building, including electrical safety concerns brought about by standing water in the elevator shaft. The order also cited ceiling damage from an active roof leak and a strong odor of mildew.
Under the law, public nuisance orders that go unabated after 72 hours can result in fines or criminal charges against the landlord. However, over two months later, none of the cited problems have been abated and the city has neither fined nor charged Denizen.
At the October 9 meeting, Oksana Luk stated that Denizen had filed an insurance claim for the water damage and was close to signing a contract with a company to repair the roof. Roof repairs did indeed begin October 22. City officials have evidently found the promises of forthcoming work sufficient to delay the administration of penalties.
Meanwhile, the remaining residents at Executive Towers took the opportunity to express frustration with deteriorating living conditions, a lack of communication, and the sense that they are not being included in talks taking place between property managers and the city government.
“I feel like for three and a half years, I have been paying for negligence. Because I’ve seen it; you’ve seen it. So, this insurance claim: the first time it rained, you should have been talking to your insurance company then…but you waited three and a half years.”
Vanice Williams, the District 4 Toledo City Councilwoman, was present at the meeting. Addressing the tenants, she stated: “You all need to make a decision…whatever you all are going to do, do it, because you ain’t going to hear nothing that you want to hear.” She added: “Government can move slower than you all can. Government will move slower than you all can. Always – and, it’s shut down now.”
Williams stated that as far as the city is concerned, Denizen is doing what is asked of them, so no further actions from the city are on the near horizon. “Whatever the city can do, we’re here to support you all as much as we can, but they’ve [Denizen] done everything that the city has asked them to do, they’ve been in communication, me and the code enforcement have walked this building, so it’s up to you all to pull the trigger.”
One resident replied to Williams, stating: “That’s well and good – but they should have been talking to us.” Williams agreed.
Rashad Daoudi, a local housing attorney who was present at the meeting, disagreed with Williams perspective. “It’s not up to the tenants, it’s up to Denizen,” he said, receiving applause from the tenants.
He added, addressing the landlords: “Pay people money that will allow them to go get first month’s and last month’s rent somewhere else, moving costs, forwarding fees, if they had mold in their place, extra money for those damages… It’s okay if you want everyone out of here; I think that is what you want. Tear this sucker down and rebuild it. But not without giving every person that lived here and went through this money as compensation.”
Oksana Luk took the opportunity to stress that if residents wish to reside elsewhere, Denizen is willing to transfer their lease to nearby Beacon Place, another property managed by the company. One resident retorted: “Beacon Place is the same. It’s the same owner, so you’re going to get the same crap.”
Daoudi elaborated on the problems with that proposal: “What if a person wants to move to Texas because they don’t have anything left here now that they have to move? They don’t want to move to Beacon Place, they want to move to wherever else. What about those people? You can’t have that solution for everyone, nor should anybody have to be forced into one of two or three places as their only options to live. You owe people money to move on with their life.”
Executive Towers Tenant Association President Venus Chapman closed the meeting by stating that the group will continue to follow up on Denizen’s promises of repairing the roof and fixing the building.
Residents meet with their landlord to discuss ongoing problems at Executive Towers.
Pictured (L-R): Executive Towers resident Stephanie Beckham; President of Property Management for Denizen Management Oksana Luk; Executive Towers Tenant Association President Venus Chapman; and District Manager for Denizen Management Shayla Morris.