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Tenants at Maxwell House raise 'constructive eviction' concerns; city schedules code enforcement walkthrough
Summary
Tenants at the Maxwell House downtown complex criticized management for unresolved maintenance, alleging constructive eviction and unsafe conditions. Planning staff and the commission said they will schedule an in-person code enforcement walkthrough and meet with management.
Tenants at the Maxwell House apartment complex raised complaints to the Augusta Commission describing persistent maintenance problems they say amount to constructive eviction and unsafe living conditions.
Yolanda Brooks, who identified herself as a resident at Maxwell House, told the commission the building has long-running issues — rats in the walls, sewage backups and broken windows — and alleged that management, TPI (a property manager based in Riviera Beach, Florida), and the owner have not addressed maintenance requests. Brooks said tenants who complain risk evictions or being “blackballed.” She said some residents use housing vouchers but the building is not HUD-exempt.
Planning Director Kristyn Delaney and other commissioners said the city has previously inspected the property. Delaney said about two-and-a-half years ago code enforcement and staff walked every floor and the owner brought units into compliance within about two weeks, but turnover can produce renewed deterioration. Delaney said staff would schedule an on-site inspection and a team would walk the property as soon as possible and contact Brooks directly; staff promised a written report for the administrator's packet.
Mayor Pro Tempore Wayne Guilfoyle and other commissioners encouraged residents to use the city's 311 system to create documented case numbers and urged tenants to obtain and share those case numbers to ensure follow-up. Attorney Plunkett advised the commission to confirm code-enforcement findings before sending a formal letter to the owner; commissioners said the city would perform an inspection and could coordinate a letter alongside confirmed findings.
What the meeting produced: The commission directed staff to perform an in-person code-enforcement inspection of Maxwell House, schedule a meeting with management, and report back in writing. Residents were urged to file 311 complaints to create a documented case record.
What remains unclear: Brooks said she had contacted federal representatives and the property manager but received little help. The transcript does not specify the property owner's name or the exact schedule for the inspection beyond staff's commitment to start the process promptly.
