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Iowa City resident alleges landlord neglect and harassment at 715 East Burlington

HCDC (as referenced in transcript) · May 1, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Nicholas Bargren told the commission that landlord Mark Hamer owns multiple derelict properties including 715 East Burlington, accused him of failing to make repairs, cutting access to utilities and locks, and alleged a pattern of fraud and harassment; Bargren urged the city and housing authority to intervene for elderly tenants.

Nicholas Bargren, a long-time Iowa City resident, told the commission during public comment that a landlord he named as Mark Hamer owns multiple properties in the area and has failed to maintain them, leaving tenants in unsafe conditions.

"He’s literally a danger to me, and he is an unfortunate stain on this entire city," Bargren said, naming 715 East Burlington and several South Lucas Street addresses as properties he said are derelict and cited for violations. Bargren said city inspectors placed a rent abatement on his building less than a month after he moved in.

Bargren described a string of problems he said he experienced after…

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