Residents say armed guards, management practices leave seniors ‘walking in fear’ at Mount Vernon building

Several residents of a Mount Vernon senior housing building told the City Council on Wednesday they feel intimidated by building management and armed security guards and asked the city to intervene.

Judy Williams Davis, who identified herself as a resident and said she represents about 60 seniors, told the council the building’s management enforces rules that leave tenants “walking in fear and intimidation.” She said residents are threatened with eviction for minor infractions and that security staff sometimes “rub his gun, to intimidate him.”

Lincoln Edwards, president of the building’s tenant association and a resident at 229 South Seventh Avenue, described a March incident in which, he said, a guard named Frank “came in. His hand was on the gun, and he come like this, put his hand on my face. Get out of here.” Edwards said the guard repeatedly called police on residents and that a police report he later obtained “did not include” the details he said he reported.

The complaints came during the public comment portion of the council meeting. Councilman Gleason told the speakers he would follow up with the city buildings department and offered to send a letter to management if residents provided a petition and contact details to the legislative aide. Councilwoman Thompson asked the residents to leave contact information so she could attend a residents’ meeting and meet management. Councilmember Mabazzo said she would meet with residents, consult the corporation counsel about the city’s legal options and follow up weekly. Acting President Ed Poteet also urged the residents to provide written petitions and contact details.

No formal enforcement action or ordinance was proposed during the meeting. Council members directed staff to collect resident contact information, review any petitions, and schedule meetings including city council representatives and city legal staff with the building’s management to clarify security policies and residents’ rights.

The council’s responses included offers to attend a tenants’ meeting and to request documents from management. Council members emphasized that while armed security can be appropriate in some settings, residents should not feel threatened where they live.

The council did not take a formal vote on the matter; members said they would pursue meetings and correspondence and urged the speakers to leave written contact information with the legislative aide so staff can follow up.