Owner representative asks meeting to investigate $100,000 spike in Little Village Apartments water bills

Jordan Hoffman, owner representative for Little Village Apartments at 103 Northeast Street, told the meeting during public comment that his property was billed roughly $100,000 above its yearly averages over a 12-month period and asked the governing body to investigate and consider reimbursement or a future credit.

"I'm here with Sean Villains," Hoffman said, "to request a water and sewer bill expense reimbursement." He told the meeting he had taken "100% unit inspection" measures and brought plumbers to the property but that none of those inspections discovered leaks or abnormal consumption patterns. He also said bills returned to normal in June 2025 without any repairs being made.

Hoffman outlined two components of the higher charges: about $10,000 he attributed to late fees caused by account-access problems, and roughly $90,000 he said appeared to stem from a faulty meter read or other meter-related issue. "So it's about $10,000 in late fees," he said, and described trouble accessing the account after a staff-user handoff prevented timely online payment.

Chair asked Hoffman to provide a written packet showing consumption and documentation so staff could "check and see what the meter looks like." The Chair indicated the city could inspect the meter and suggested an exterior ground check near where a major break had occurred previously.

The meeting did not record a formal commitment to reimburse the property; rather, staff were asked to review Hoffman's submitted documentation and check the meter. Hoffman said he had documentation and packets available for the board to review.

Next steps: Hoffman provided documentation to the meeting for staff review and asked for guidance on potential reimbursement or a credit; staff are to inspect the meter and report back at a future meeting.