Phoenix – The long-awaited sentencing hearing for the only city-designated slum property, the Woodbridge Apartments, began today with allegations that former tenants were billed for bogus cleaning costs.
The start of the sentencing hearing comes one week after a surprise inspection of the property by city inspectors.
Our cameras were the only ones there when inspectors fanned out across the complex with a police escort and armed with cameras and clipboards and checklists and measuring tapes.
ABC15 investigators learned that inspectors identified over 1,000 violations in preparation for the sentencing hearing that began Friday. They say it proves conditions at the complex have not improved over the last year, but that they have gradually gotten worse.
City officials say they are frustrated with the lack of effort on the part of Woodbridge owners and property managers to make progress with improvements and repairs and this has been an ongoing battle for numerous city departments.
The City of Phoenix has been in court trying to force the owner of Woodbridge to provide humane housing for more than two years.
ABC15 Investigators have documented problems with rotting wood beams that hold up balconies, broken balcony railings, holes in concrete landings , unsecured concrete steps on stairways, debris deposited underneath stairwells, empty unsecured apartments, pigeon droppings, plumbing problems, electrical problems and bedbug, cockroach and rat infestations.
And this summer, ABC15 Investigators found some tenants of the complex near 19th Avenue and Glendale, were forced to suffer through the hottest days of the year without adequate air conditioning.
ABC15 Investigators talked with one disabled tenant who suffers from diabetes and COPD. She says when she complained about conditions and problems inside her unit–a Woodbridge property manager became irate and confiscated a portable air conditioning unit from her. She called it an act of retaliation and she says she is thinking about filing a lawsuit against Woodbridge for violating state law .
Two years ago, city attorneys won a $47,000 civil judgment against the property two years ago.
That case was recently upheld by an appeals court.
Late last year, city officials say they took Woodbridge to criminal court because they say conditions were getting worse rather than improving and the property owner did appear to be willing to make the necessary repairs and improvements.
City prosecutors charged Woodbridge with 406 criminal counts–allegations that conditions there were so bad that it was dangerous to health and safety of residents.
Late last month city prosecutors won 385 guilty verdicts from Municipal Court Judge Lori Metcalf.
Judge Metcalf could assess Woodbridge a fine on each one of the 385 convictions of up to $20,000 per count.
Add that up and Woodbridge could be facing a fine as high as $7.7 million.
The ABC15 Investigators had the only camera in the courtroom as the first day of the sentencing hearing got off to a contentious start.
In fact, we had to fight to keep our camera in the courtroom.
Judge Metcalf denied a motion from Woodbridge attorney Greg McGill asking her to preclude ABC15’s camera from videotaping the sentencing hearing for broadcasting on our newscasts.
City prosecutors called three witnesses during the morning session.
An immigrant from Iraq told the court he had no air conditioning in his apartment at Woodbridge and it made it difficult for his family to sleep at night.
Woodbridge attorney Greg McGill asked the witness if he is a citizen of the United States and prosecutors objected arguing that the issue had no relevance to the proceeding. Judge Metcalf agreed with prosecutors and sustained the objection.
A refugee from Eritrea testified he went 8 months without air conditioning before he finally gave notice to Woodbridge property owners and moved out.
He told the judge he complained to the property manager as many as 3 times a day but nobody ever came to repair the air conditioning.
Two of the witnesses testified that after they moved out of Woodbridge they received a bill in the mail for hundreds of dollars in “cleaning costs”.
Both men said they got the notice several months after moving out and they believed they didn’t truly owe any money for cleaning costs.
One man told Judge Metcalf that his wife cleaned constantly and his apartment was very clean when he moved out. The other witness said a Woodbridge employee inspected his apartment on the day he moved out and found it to be clean and satisfactory. He was able to provide the name of the Woodbridge employee when asked about it by defense counsel.
Twelve hours before the first witness took the stand the ABC15 Investigators received a written statement from an attorney/spokesperson for Woodbridge.
Fidelis Garcia wrote that Woodbridge “has serious concerns with Judge Metcalf’s handling of these proceedings.”
He expressed the hope that the judge would take “a reasonable approach that brings the parties together to
solve all issues to the benefit of the tenants, the community, and the property.â€
Prosecutors have told ABC15 Investigators that the owner of Woodbridge has had many chances to work with the city to improve conditions and make repairs but over years little, if anything, has been done to provide humane housing for the residents of the complex.Â
Woodbridge Apartments released a statement Friday. Read that statement here .
The sentencing hearing was continued until later this month and the ABC15 Investigators will continue to stay on top of this story.
When the judge hands down her sentence for Woodbridge, ABC15 will be there to let you know what happens.