Landlord to pay Brockton tenants' expenses

September 2, 2006

Brockton Enterprise - MA,

By Elaine Allegrini, ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

s02.txt

BROCKTON — A housing court judge on Friday ordered a Taunton man to

pay for housing and meals for tenants of 60 apartments he owns on

Colonel Bell Drive.

Fifty residents of the complex filled the courtroom, anxious to hear

the judge's ruling that came a day after the Health Department

determined the five buildings were unfit for occupancy because of

improperly installed gas appliances and extensive mold.

While most tenants returned to their apartments Thursday after the

court delayed a ruling on the Health Department's order, Judge

Wilbur P. Jr. said Friday they could not stay in the

buildings until city inspectors released them.

" Tenants are going to be relocated at (the landlord's) expense, " he

said.

The property is owned by Claridge Corp. of Taunton. Principal owner

Dana Chiles was in court Friday afternoon after missing the morning

hearing. Jodi Beckerman, who said she began Friday as the contracted

property manager, was also in court.

Tenants include young families — one woman with a 1-month-old

daughter, the elderly and handicapped. Most pay $1,000 or more a

month for rent. Some made plans Friday to withhold rent, notifying

the landlord by letter that they would not pay until all of the

health issues were resolved.

After the hearing, Beckerman told the residents they would not get

into hotels until 7 p.m. The exact location of the hotels was not

known at that time and many residents worried about leaving pets

behind.

Beckerman said they could return to the apartments to feed the pets,

but not take them to hotels.

Recommended Posts