“We're not just gonna sit by anymore and let building owners ignore city code," said Spivey, who introduced the ordinance.
Metro Times has been keeping tabs on some Detroit landlords who've been collecting rent from tenants despite putting them at risk.
Russell Industrial Center owner Dennis Kefallinos was for years letting people work behind wooden walls that BSEED officials said posed a fire hazard when they posted vacate orders throughout the complex in February. Also at issue at the Russell were illegally installed heating and plumbing systems. Kefallinos also owns about a dozen loft buildings around the city that he at one time or another failed to have up to code while collecting rent from tenants. The issue is the subject of a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of people who live and used to live at those properties.
Gerardo Pecchia, who owns the Sheridan Court Apartments in Midtown and several apartment buildings in Palmer Park, let Sheridan residents live in units with fungus problems due to what tenants say was his failure to replace the building's drainage system. The issue prompted city officials to tell residents in the portion of the building affected to vacate. The building had also failed a fire inspection before several units went up in flames in a March blaze that fire officials said appeared to be caused by an electrical issue.
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