WASHINGTON — The acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday said she is committed to working with Toledo officials to improve deplorable conditions at problem rental properties in the city.
"Absolutely," HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman said in response to a question from U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown during a federal housing regulation hearing in Washington. "I made that commitment to the mayor of Toledo as well myself."
Brown said he would hold Todman, who is serving as the head of HUD after Marcia Fudge resigned from the Cabinet position in March, to her statement and plans to follow up with the department on its next steps.
Brown's office, along with various local organizations and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur and Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszeukiwicz's offices, have formed a task force to monitor the city's housing conditions — especially federally subsidized properties owned by hard-to-reach, out-of-town companies — spurred by a meeting Kapszukiewicz had with HUD in January to discuss persistent health, security and vermin problems at the Covenant House and Ashland Manor properties.
Dennis Carson lives at Ashland Manor in central Toledo and told WTOL 11 about the living conditions in January.
"That's interesting due to the simple fact that he recognizes the problem," Carson said, reacting to Brown's exchange with Todman.
While the trash, roaches and security are better, Carson says mice are now a problem at Ashland Manor.
Toledo City Council member Vanice Williams, who coordinated the task force, is urging those with poor living conditions to contact the city.
It's not uncommon to see unsafe and unhealthy living conditions at housing complexes in Toledo, Williams said.
"The Greenbelt was the first, Covenant House was on our radar second, Ashland Manor the third, and now we have a fourth (Northgate Apartments)," she said.
Williams, who represents the district the district that all four of those buildings sit in, said HUD was inspecting Northgate Apartments this week for an infestation of bugs. She's glad to hear about the federal-level commitment to fixing the issue, but will do what she can locally.
"We will not allow folks to take advantage of poor folks, it's over," she said.
Carson also said there's still work to be done, but he's glad there are eyes on the situation.
"Channel 11 and Ms. Williams pushed the envelope. Ya'll started the ball rolling," he said.
Williams said monitoring properties is consistently difficult and requires a team effort.
"It's hard for a city to know everything going on everywhere," she said. We are trying and we need to be more proactive. I appreciate HUD taking this seriously."
The watchful eye of HUD and local officials has been felt. The city of Toledo in March announced that Ashland Manor is no longer considered a nuisance property after a range of violations were fixed.
Williams said the apartment complex, will continue to be monitored.
Covenant House has also been forced to clean up its act and its owners, Millennia Companies, are looking to sell the property.
"It should never have gotten like that, especially if they're publicly funded," Williams said. "They're getting paid every month, pocketing public money. We're paying you money to take care of people."
Williams encourages any tenant who has an issue with living conditions to call Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020.