Deplorable Conditions...Court Win

A local family is celebrating and giving God thanks for a favorable court ruling for a family member. A young woman who stayed at Richwood Cottages Apartments in the town of Richwood reached out to the Monroe Dispatch over what she said were "deplorable" living conditions tenants were allegedly living in; When the Monroe Dispatch visited the tenant, it was during the summer when the area was under an intense heat wave, as health officials warned everyone to exercise caution when in the heat. One of the biggest issues tenants at Richwood Cottages complained about was the lack of air-conditioning, including the woman who just recently went to court. There were other issues within her apartment, such as the carpet, which was in such bad condition that maggots appeared in it because of the extreme heat within the apartment. The toilet and bathtub had major plumbing issues, and the stove did not work properly. At the time numerous complaints were made to management, but those complaints allegedly were largely ignored. On a subsequent visit, the Monroe Dispatch heard from another tenant who expressed the same frustrations with Richwood Cottages management that mirrored what was told before, but things appeared to have gotten worse, as it was alleged that the person who worked as the maintenance man quit with few of the tenants being aware that he was gone. The tenant who approached brought up complaints publicly was on the verge of being evicted because she brought her complaints to management. All changed on Monday, October 16, 2023 when the young woman had her day in court. After hearing the evidence presented, the eviction was denied. Not only that, according to the family, the hearing officer didn't believe what the other party said in court and that further investigation may be warranted. For now, the family is relieved that justice prevailed, relief is coming, and they hope other tenants will also find similar outcomes.