A South Bend apartment complex owner has agreed to steps aimed at making sure tenants don’t lose heat or hot water again this coming winter.
In February Portage Township Trustee Jason Critchlow gave the owner of Cedar Glen Apartments a warning. Compensate tenants who lost heat and hot water last winter, and make sure they stop losing those essential amenities in the future, or the township would file suit.
On Tuesday, about six months later, Critchlow and the complex’s Indianapolis-based owner, MAH Cedar Glen LP, held a press conference to announce a settlement agreement. The owner has hired a new property management company; it’s given affected tenants rent credits as restitution; it’s agreed to work with a newly formed tenant association if new problems arise; and it’s agreed to quickly fix any new problems under monitoring by the Indiana Attorney General.
Critchlow said the township has the right to make sure tenants have habitable conditions since it pays the rent of residents who request and are approved for financial help.
"Other apartment complexes around the city are now going to be taking notice that there is a measure of accountability out there," Critchlow said. "There is guardianship for tenants' rights. We're watching and we will not hesitate to take action if we see these sorts of issues elsewhere."
