BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)- Conditions at Towne Garden Apartments are improving after months of court dates with Buffalo officials. Residents have complained for years that the government subsidized housing has not been maintained properly.
City leaders told News 4 conditions are now getting better.
“Many of the eves that were down, are up,” said Darius Pridgen, the Common Council president. ”Windows have been repaired, some of the doors are repaired, addressing some of the mold issues. Now let me be very clear, they are not finished.”
Pridgen said it’s a move in the right direction. He recently got a call from officials who said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development may boost Towne Garden’s rating, which could mean HUD inspects the complex every other year instead of annually.
The property’s improvements are a big change from what HUD found in its initial inspections.
“They found leaky roofs, broken toilets that never worked, lights that didn’t work, not enough heat on cold days,” described U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer.
Senator Schumer asked HUD to inspect the building.
City leaders told News 4 that lighting still needs to be improved and there are mold complaints that need to be addressed. Pridgen said the complex still has about 80 city violations.
“There are still some things that are outstanding, that on the city level we’ll still be going back to court for within the next few weeks,” he said. “If they’re improving, we want to be a great partner. If they start to go down, we will do what the city has the ability and authority to do and that is to inspect, and go in, and take them back into court.”
We have not talked to the owners or managers of Towne Garden Apartments since we learned of the new rating on Monday night. We will bring you their response as soon as we have it.
