‘We can’t live like this’, Brooklyn Park apartment tenants talk about living conditions

3:47 p.m.
Monday, June 13, 2022Huntington Place apartments have a long history of lingering challenges
The tenants at Huntington Place Apartments in Brooklyn Park talk about what they say are dangerous living conditions.
Tenants took CCX News inside their units where they say conditions are becoming nearly uninhabitable.
“We have mold, we have mildew, we have mice,” tenant Victoria Kates said.
Tenant Rachel Noah showed CCX News the giant hole in her bathroom ceiling which she says hasn’t been fixed despite her multiple attempts to contact the maintenance line.
“The pipes were leaking,” Noah said.
A non-profit organization called infinite time acquired Huntington Place in January 2020.
Aeon officials would not go on camera, but say the building has a long history of challenges.
In a statement to CCX News, the nonprofit said it received $5 million from the City of Brooklyn Park to make updates to the building. So far, $1.7 million has been spent installing security cameras, upgrading door locks and creating community spaces.
Inside the building, however, it’s a different story.
“I would like to know why things are not fixed and things are neglected,” said Terrence Young, a resident of Huntington Place.
“I have water damage in my bathroom right now and I reported it, made a list of things to fix, but no one came to fix anything,” said Young.
Another tenant who did not want to be identified pointed to the large hole in the ceiling of her apartment.
“They sent several people to come and see, no one could fix it, they were going to make an appointment but nothing is being done around here,” said the tenant.
Aeon officials told CCX News that funds are being released as work is completed.
They say they have 336 open maintenance requests.
“We’ve been waiting for AC for about a year, it was like towards the end of the summer and they said we have to wait until next year,” Noah said.
Huntington is the second largest multi-family property in the state. Despite this, tenants inside say they feel their voice is not heard.
“If I send a work order or try to call you and get no response, it gets ignored,” Young said of trying to reach Aeon’s building managers.
City of Brooklyn Park officials did not go on camera, but said while they helped fund Aeon, it is up to building owners to prioritize how the funds are used.
City officials say inspections are done twice a year for common areas and every three years for each unit, but residents have the option of calling the city and requesting an inspection.
CCX News reporter Sarah Thamer asked tenants if they thought residents were doing their part to keep this building safe:
“For the most part, but I’m still waiting for management to take responsibility for the part they should be doing and promised to be done,” Noah said.
Brooklyn Park officials say the city follows up on all complaints about property maintenance issues in apartment buildings or apartment units to ensure compliance with the International Property Maintenance Code. . The City requires specific information about the property maintenance issue in order to follow up (i.e. unit number or specific location of the code violation within a common area ). Residents can submit complaints by email, phone or online at:
[email protected]
(763) 493-8182
https://www.brooklynpark.org/report-an-issue/
Resources for tenants:
Resources for tenants: www.brooklynpark.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Magnet_Updated-August-2021.pdf
Lease: https://www.brooklynpark.org/housing/renting/
About rental inspections: https://www.brooklynpark.org/permits-and-licenses/business-licenses/rental-property-inspections/
Brooklyn Park