An Alabama tenant has sued after Homewood officials deemed most of his apartment complex unsafe and condemned it, leaving him unable to stay in his unit.
What happened?
According to ABC 33/40, Joshua Young filed the case in Jefferson County Circuit Court after most of the Park at Buckingham property was condemned.
Young says he had lived in Unit 244 of Building 11 since 2024, but a condemnation notice posted on his door forced him to leave.
In the complaint, Young says long-running problems at the complex were never resolved. He lists mold on his bathroom ceiling, rodent infestations, leaking water, sewage issues, loose dogs, garbage in shared areas and frequent fire alarms.
The suit names the property owners, managers, court-appointed receiver Farbman Group, and two property management employees.
The lawsuit says Farbman Group learned from the city on June 3 that five buildings would be taken before the Housing Code Abatement Board over safety issues.
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Young alleges tenants were not given advance notice on a tenant-by-tenant basis or relocation plans before danger and condemnation notices were posted. He said he first saw a bright pink notice outside Building 11 on July 22.
The defendants had not yet filed responses in court, and the claims remain allegations.
Why does it matter?
Young paid $647 per month, with utilities included, and his lawsuit says the condemnation displaced him from one of the limited affordable housing options available to him.
Homewood Fire Chief Brandon Broadhead said the city had spent years trying to address conditions at the complex.
"We've been working with this property for a number of years trying to fix fire code violations and ensure that the residents there are safe," Broadhead told ABC 33/40.
He added that flooding had damaged fire-blocking materials inside walls, meaning "a small fire can get to the attic or upstairs apartments really, really fast."
What's being done?
Young is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and wants a jury trial.
The lawsuit also alleges the defendants violated Alabama landlord-tenant law, failed to meet habitability obligations, did not warn residents, and used the condemnation process in a way that pushed tenants out.
City officials have said the condemnation was necessary because of serious fire risks.
Broadhead said, "It creates a very dangerous situation for the residents, but also for our firefighters."
"It looked like time has run out on us," resident Roe Bonner told ABC 33/40.
Another resident, Eugene Moore, said the notices were posted without direct warning: "They just quietly put it on and left. Nobody knocked on the door, nobody gave us notices, nobody said anything about anything."
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