CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The former owners and manager of an apartment complex in North Carolina agreed to pay nearly $550,000 to former tenants who claimed they were paying rent despite ongoing health and safety violations.
The settlement money would be divided among 97 former tenants of Charlotte’s Lake Arbor apartments in their class action lawsuit, The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday. Charlotte code inspectors had found violations at the apartment complex after tenants complained of pests, unsafe wiring and water damage.
“These landlords kept taking the rent and taking the rent, all the while refusing to fix serious safety problems in tenants’ units, as found by the city,” former tenant and plaintiff Serita Russell said in a statement announcing the settlement.
The property owners also sparked outrage and changes to the city’s code violation policies when they announced last year that they would remove renters for renovations. Housing advocates sounded alarms that the decision could cause homelessness.
The apartment complex was sold in April to a New York-based company, Mecklenburg County property records show.
Defense attorney Erik Rosenwood said the former owners, Lake Arbor Dean TIC LLC and Lake Arbor 80M TIC LLC, and its property manager are not liable. They only settled to avoid time and the cost of a trial, he said.
The settlement money will be awarded after getting approval from the state’s superior court.
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