Receivership could be in the cards for a troublesome Rochester landlord after all.
The city of Rochester late last week filed suit against landlord Peter Hungerford, seeking a court order demanding he fix longstanding code violations in apartment buildings at 447 Thurston Road and 967 Chili Ave. The suit asks that he be ordered to address the health and safety problems in his buildings within 90 days, and that if he fails or refuses to do so, the properties be turned over to a receiver who would collect rents and manage the properties until repairs are made.
"Landlords and property managers have an obligation to keep their properties safe and habitable," said city Corporation Counsel Tim Curtin. "In this case, Mr. Hungerford has been given multiple warnings and opportunities to correct outstanding violations at his properties, and his failure to do so means we must do what is in the best interest of our residents, his tenants.”
Hungerford's stewardship of his rental properties came to public attention back in January, when Rochester officials condemned his 21-unit building at 960 Dewey Ave. over broken heat and other tenant safety issues. In March, residents of another of his properties, 447 Thurston Road, announced they were going on a rent strike in hopes of forcing repairs in their apartment building. Residents of 967 Chili Ave. have joined the strike.
A Democrat and Chronicle investigation in March revealed that properties associated with Hungerford not only had hundreds of outstanding code violations, but his companies also owed at least $40,000 to the city in back payments for water service.
Residents have complained about electrical problems, vermin, leaky and clogged plumbing, unsecured entry doors, mold and mildew, ceiling collapses and general maintenance issues.
Public records show that Hungerford also owns properties at 49 Pullman Ave., 300 Bremen St., Resolute Manor, 1573 Dewey Ave., 960 Dewey Ave., and 440 Thurston Road.
According to the city's suit, the following code violations still existed in the Thurston Road and Chili Avenue properties as of April 30: missing smoke alarms; deteriorated interior paint; broken windows; improper semi-permanent use of an extension cord; roach and mouse infestation; missing carbon monoxide alarms; missing self-closing fire doors; and clogged bathroom drain lines.
Additionally, the suit notes that Hungerford owed more than $27,000 in unpaid utilities for the Thurston and Chili buildings as of May 7. At the city's behest, RG&E agreed to delay a scheduled service shut-off by 30 days.
Hungerford has said he's spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on repairs to his buildings and that he's being unfairly singled out by Rochester and by tenants who have an ulterior motive of creating a new court to hear housing grievances.
The case will be heard on June 4 in City Court.
