COLUMBUS, Ohio — The owners of a troubled Near East Side property were fined more than $4 million for violating provisions of a court order from last month.
In addition, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said the owners of Latitude Five25 are being held in contempt of court and a court-appointed receiver will be taking over management of the property.
On Christmas, residents were evacuated abruptly after a pipe burst, taking only what they could carry to an emergency shelter. The property was later condemned by the city due to unsafe conditions of the building.
Klein said the owners failed to sell the property by the required date and obtain necessary permits to begin interior demolition work, which led to airborne asbestos contamination throughout the building.
The owners, Paxe Latitude, also failed to reimburse hundreds of displaced tenants and keep up with utility payments. Due to this, the buildings remain unsafe for humans to live in and nearly 200 residents remain in temporary housing at local hotels.
“The ownership group at Latitude Five25 is unfit to continue operation and must be removed,” said Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein. “The City will do everything in its power to ensure these owners pay this judgement, including holding each of them personally liable if we need to. They spent years ruining the lives of tenants. They need to be held accountable. Pay up and get out.”
Klein said a judge imposed a $2.5 million fine to paid for by March 3, to refund any paid January rent, reimburse out of pocket expenses incurred by tenants as a result of displacement, and compensate legal aid attorney fees. The owners were also ordered to pay $1.13 million to the city of Columbus and $750,000 to Franklin County by March 13, to reimburse the costs of temporarily housing displaced tenants.
Klein said any future receiver or property owner will still be subject to the city's nuisance case as it remains active.