Since December 5th, tenants living in Golfview Apartments in the City of Anoka have been trying to get their neglectful landlord to fix a backed up sewer pump.
Throughout this time tenants have lived with stench and filth waiting for their landlord to respond. Sometimes, the landlord’s answer was just to turn off the water to the whole apartment complex.
On December 16th, the tenants contacted HOME Line, and the next day we started organizing with them. The tenants decided they had to escalate the matter. They went to the courts, the city council, and ultimately the media. As of last night, the City had sent the landlord a demand that he fix the problem by this morning or they would do so and charge the landlord with the expenses and, as KSTP reports, “a hefty fine.”
HOME Line regularly works with tenants demanding greater protections in a system skewed to their disadvantage. We will keep you posted on the tenants’ progress and HOME Line’s efforts to fight for more systemic change.
Update @ 2pm 12/24: With the deadline having past with no action by the landlord, there currently is a team from the city who are working on cleaning as well as repair of the pump.
To view and read media coverage on the plight of Golfview tenants, visit:
- KSTP TV – Minneapolis and St. Paul – Anoka Condemns Apartments Flooded with Sewage.
- Star- Tribune: Anoka apartment residents anxious for running water, toilets.
