HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 06-29 Rent striker wins in eviction case DISPATCH Rent striker wins
ioe�V,yction case
A Maplewood woman who She was one of more than 70
withheld rent from her landlord residents in the Hazelwood
because of what she said were Heights Apartments who signed
"undesirable conditions"in her a petition asking the city council
apartment has won the right re- to remedy the conditions.
cently not to be evicted. She said broken windows,
JUDGE Joseph Summers ruled closet doors,hinges and a stove
in Ramsey County Municipal switch were among the items
Court that Leslie A. Miller, of that needed repair in her own
1510 E. County Road B, could apartment.
continue to stay in her apart- The city,which does not have
ment. a housing code, sought but did
not get the county's help in re-
lieving certain conditions in the
Maplewood apartment complex.The city did
work with the renters involved"
to correct situations covered by
Venture Realty,owners of the existing city ordinances.
Hazelwood Heights Apartments,
had filed suit through attorney
Robert Haugh against.Miller,
stating that she failed and re-
fused to pay this month's rent of
$175 due June 1.
Miller, represented by Lorna
Brieter,a law student,and Caro-
lyn F. Rusch, supervising attor-
ney from Legal Assistance of
Ramsey County, Inc., said she
went on the rent strike to fight
the undesirable conditions in
her apartment building.
JUDGE SUMMERS said Mill-
er could stay in the apartment_
and pay her rent to the clerk of
court until repairs are made in
her apartment.
The judge also said that if the
landlord tried to evict Miller in
the near future, the burden of
proof would be on the landlord.
"The landlord would have to
show that it was not a retaliatory
act,"Rusch said later.
Two:Maplewood city officials
testified to the conditions of
Miller's apartment.