Durham renters confused, concerned by back-and-forth between old, new property owners over potential eviction
A group of Durham residents is pleading with their property owner to not kick them out of their homes.
The residents — many of them disabled, senior citizens or raising small children — received a letter from Reformation Asset Management, a property management company, that gave them until the end of the year to leave their apartment complex on North Buchanan Boulevard.
The complex is being sold, and Reformation Asset Management represents the two new owners, Andrea Robin Shaw and Kenneth Gorfkle. The company's owner, Charles Bulthuis, said because of the poor condition of the properties, residents have to leave for repairs to be made.
"Their [apartments] are in substantial disrepair. They have roofs that are falling in. They have holes in the walls. They have a flood situation. They have a retaining wall that is completely gone. One of the units gets flooded by mud and water. There are infestations of cockroaches, evidence of mice and other rodents," he added.
A sales contract shared with WRAL News includes a clause that requires Braswell Properties, the current owner, to give tenants notice that they must move by January as a condition of the sale of the property.
But Braswell owner Varon Braswell said Bulthuis "jumped the gun" on the process in sending a letter to tenants on Nov. 29 giving them until Dec. 31 to vacate their homes.
"He’s defamed my character and my father's and our company because we don’t do business like this," Braswell said.
He told WRAL News that he had reassured renters that the deal had yet to close and they'd have plenty of time to relocate.
Braswell said he told tenants, "Don’t even worry about those letters, because we haven’t gotten any money, and once we get paid they still have to give you ample time to find somewhere to stay."
A representative of Bulthuis told WRAL News that all tenants in the properties are on "hold over leases," which means either tenant or landlord could terminate the lease with 30 days' written notice once the original lease term ended.
The representative indicates the letter was intended to be the first part of the eviction process, which can take an extended period of time, and that Bulthuis is following the law.
With rising rent prices, many residents say they can't afford to live anywhere else and many say they will be homeless on Dec. 31.
Reformation Asset Management is offering to help the tenants find a new home at one of its other locations. It is also offering to provide free transportation to its offices, waive application fees and secure funding toward a deposit and first month rent.
Leo Williams, a Durham councilman, told WRAL News he is also looking for ways to help. He’s currently on the hunt for a hotel to house all the families that have nowhere to go for at least the next month.
“I’m worried, that these folks aren’t going to be able to find anywhere that’s the reality we’re facing," he said.
Rosa Suitt, who has lived at the apartment complex in Durham for 22 years, says she has no family or friends she can stay with.
"Just give us more time," she begged.
In addition to demanding more time, the Durham residents are asking for the property owner to pay for moving costs.
Like many people living in the complex on North Buchanan Boulevard, Suitt is on a fixed income and that’s not something she can afford.
“We don’t have a lot of money like that," she said. The average monthly rent price in Durham is around $1,400, according to Rent Cafe. Only 10% of apartments in Durham are under $1,000 a month.
"It's hard. I'm on a fixed income. I'm a heart patient. I'm disabled ... it's stressful and it's right here at Christmas time," said Janice Sanchez, who moved to the apartment complex a few months ago. "It's heartless. It's right here at the holiday time. It's cold and we don't have money. We're on a fixed income [and] mostly everybody over here is disabled."
While residents agree repairs are desperately needed, they said they just want more time to find a new place.
There are few local churches who have pitched in to help. 100% of donations made to the Tenant Support Fund at Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church will go to support residents of Braswell Properties.
