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Resident urges action after Marshallese tenants report mold, rats and no heat at Auburn Way lodging
Summary
At the March 17 Auburn City Council meeting, resident Robert Montague reported deplorable conditions at a 12‑unit former hotel at 2414 Auburn Way where Marshallese tenants have experienced rat infestations, black mold and no heat or hot water; city staff offered to follow up.
Robert Montague, a resident of Auburn, told the City Council on March 17 that tenants at a 12‑unit former hotel at 2414 Auburn Way were living in "deplorable" conditions, including rat infestation, visible feces, black mold and lack of heat and hot water for some residents.
Montague said the building’s occupants are "exclusive Marshallese people of descent" and described tenants' reluctance to report conditions because they fear retaliation and losing an affordable place to live. "It's third world," Montague said, characterizing the living conditions.
Montague said he has been working with tenants and that city code enforcement had been helpful in advising them how to file complaints and submit photographs. The council indicated staff would follow up: the mayor said Jason Crum, Community Development Director, would speak with Montague and provide a status update on enforcement and contact information; Crum met with Montague immediately after the meeting.
Montague described specific problems he said tenants had faced this winter: three tenants reportedly had no hot water and several had no heat, forcing them to shower at family members' gyms or use plug‑in heaters and stove hot water. He said the landlord had sealed some wall openings to limit rodent entry but had not eradicated the rat population.
No formal council action was taken during the meeting on the matter; Montague said he will continue to work with tenants and code enforcement to pursue remedies.
