Tenants of a New Brighton apartment complex, forced to move out in the dead of winter as crews began major renovations of the buildings, are alleging in a class-action suit that the new owner used an "illegal tenant removal system" that flouted state law designed to protect them.
And they're including New Brighton as co-defendant in the suit, charging the city with aiding and abetting the owner by "fabricating false official documents" to allow the major renovations, exposing residents to potentially hazardous construction debris.
The four Pike Lake Apartments tenants filed the suit this week in Ramsey County District Court against Robbinsdale-based Qt Property Management, its owner Jason Quilling and the city of New Brighton. As many as 120 past and current residents could join the suit, which alleges violations of the state's landlord-tenant statutes, the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Consumer Fraud Act.
Attorneys for the tenants say Qt engaged in a tactic called "construction harassment" that's used by landlords who want to quickly oust low-income tenants, remodel the building and then bring in new tenants for much higher rents.
"This is a business model we think is illegal and unsafe," said attorney Jim Poradek of the Minneapolis nonprofit Housing Justice Center, which represents the tenants.
But Christopher Huntley, an attorney representing Qt, called the suit "completely fabricated" and said there was "no basis for any of the claims brought in this complaint."
New Brighton city officials did not respond to a request for comment.
The tenants want to recover rent paid to Qt during the construction, along with rental deposits, relocation costs and damages.