Huntington Place Apartment Residents Describe Unsafe Living Conditions
Tuesday night at Brooklyn Park City Hall, residents of the Huntington Place Apartments used the council chambers as a sounding board to talk about life at the city’s largest apartment complex.
“Please help us today,” said Victoria Cates, a resident. “Please help us, cause this is urgent.”
“I have recordings of mice running through our hallways on my phone. I have pictures of mold in my bathroom,” said resident Latrice Harris.
“They’re doing cosmetics on the outside, but there’s things on the inside that need taking care of, like plumbing,” said Joye Bell, another resident. Bell is one of dozens who shared their stories with the city council during a community meeting Tuesday night. Bell was clear about her reason for speaking out.
“Hold Huntington responsible for the care of their buildings,” she said. “I don’t feel like they’re putting their care in the building.”
While the city council can’t directly order property improvements, they can certainly try to initiate a conversation with Dominium, the company that managers the property.
“Well I think that we can be the mediator that helps to talk with the residents and convene meetings between the residents and management, and facilitate some of those meetings and offer any city help and services that we can,” said Council Member Susan Pha.
Huntington Place residents who came out to City Hall on Tuesday hope that help comes sooner rather than later.
“We need help on that building, on that property for everything to get done the right way. We chose you guys for that,” Frances Jackson, said to the city council.
City officials say Dominium is increasing its focus on evicting tenants who fall behind on their rent or violate their leases. The city is currently contemplating what to do about those evicted tenants.
