York addresses complaints about Rose Apartments

City leaders in York authorized a staff member to follow up on a building inspection at the downtown Rose Apartments after residents complained about derelict conditions.

In a separate action, the council unanimously endorsed a roughly $90 million countywide bond vote on the Nov. 3 ballot, saying several projects in the package will create jobs and opportunities in the York area.

The city received a petition in late August alleging poor conditions in five apartments in the circa 1852 building at 27 S. Congress St. The city inspected four apartments and was unable to inspect the fifth, according to a city memo.

Debbie Burton, who moved into the apartments last December, said she tried repeatedly to get the property management company, Landmark Property Management Co., to address the concerns.

Burton said she was told to put buckets on the floor to catch water from leaks.

Burton, 61, also complained during the summer that she did not have working central air conditioning while temperatures were in the upper-90s.

Kelly Barringer, senior regional property manager with Landmark, told council members that the company has addressed the concerns. “We’ve been in business for a long time, and we take the concerns very seriously,” he said.

David Breakfield, planning director, told council members the inspection found some evidence of water damage, and some windows had been painted shut and have damage.

Breakfield said a contractor should check the roof and repair or replace it if necessary, and should make sure attic units are working properly and not leaking water.

He also said the windows should be opened and the damage repaired, and that an electrical contractor should check the electrical system because of the water damage.

In response to other complaints, Breakfield said the condition of attic insulation and the lack of fire extinguishers in each apartment does not violate codes.

Breakfield said the York Fire Department regularly conducts inspections of the common areas of such buildings, and recently conducted an inspection at the Rose Apartments.

Barringer said the company had a roofer repair the leaks before the recent storm, although Burton told council members recent storms caused some further damage.

Barringer said the roofer will come back to repair any leaks.

He said the exterior has been painted and the window issues addressed. He also said an electrical contractor visited the building and issued a letter that there are “no problems with the electricity.”

Council members asked Breakfield to follow up and make sure the repairs had been completed.

In other business, the council voted in favor of approving the proposed county bond at the request of referendum committee members Jim Bradford and Steve Love.

Bradford said York will benefit from projects that include a $38.5 million expansion of the Moss Justice Center in York and a $22.3 million expansion of the county’s public works facilities. It also includes magistrate offices for Clover and Fort Mill and a new family court center on Heckle Boulevard in Rock Hill.

He said the bond does not include money for a proposed downtown York administrative office, but said the York County Council will find a way to pay for that if the bond is approved.

“It is essential York supports the bond referendum in great numbers and enthusiastically,” Bradford said. “People need to realize this is an opportunity for York.”

If the referendum is approved, he said the downtown York administrative building will “remain a high priority on county capital needs and the council will find a way to fund it.”

Bradford said that if the bond vote fails, “we have other projects that the county has prioritized ahead of the York administrative building, and there will not be funding any time soon for a new administrative building.”

This story was originally published October 6, 2015 at 8:34 PM with the headline "York addresses complaints about Rose Apartments."