Richmond, Va. — The Richmond Chapter of Virginia Organizing held a demonstration on December 10 at 12 p.m. outside the Amurcon Realty Offices in downtown Richmond. Forty-two people attended the demonstration to demand Amurcon Realty address the serious health and safety concerns at Forestbrooke Apartments, one of their Southside Richmond properties. Participants included Forestbrooke tenants, members of Falls of the James Group of the Sierra Club, Communications Workers of America, the Richmond DSA, the Richmond Tenants Union, and Senator Ghazala Hashmi’s Chief of Staff June Laffey.
The Forestbrooke tenants spoke out about their living conditions under Amurcon Realty and presented their list of demands for the first time in public.
Their demands include addressing issues such as building safety, replacing faulty appliances, creating a functioning system of communication between tenants and management, and mold abatement, among others.
“In the last decade, these apartments have gone from modest apartments to health hazards,” said Forestbrooke resident and Virginia Organizing chapter leader Kim Taylor. “I fear every day looking at my ceiling that it will fall on me in my sleep. I have been shocked by my stove and waited months to get a new one. There is a hole in my ceiling so big that me and my wife can fit in the hole together side by side. The mold is everywhere and I’m sure there is more we cannot see with the state of the ceilings. I could go on and on. I keep showing up because no one else is going to hold Amurcon accountable for their actions. I keep showing up because regardless of if I live in Forestbrooke, it is important that the good people who live here have safe housing.”
Melanie Taylor, Kim’s wife, also spoke and added that they had an $11,000 charge of back rent that was “magically fixed” after management admitted to not filing their recertification paperwork on time.
Marquita Ridley, a tenant of almost five years, spoke about Amurcon management being almost a year behind on finishing her recertification process, even though she filled out all the paperwork she was required to do. Now she is being charged market rate rent.
“This is unacceptable,” Ridley said. “If we as tenants do our part, then management must do theirs!”
A public letter to Amurcon Realty from Richmond City Councilor Michael Jones in support of the tenant demands was read at the demonstration.
The letter reads in part, “The tenants of Forestbrooke Apartments deserve answers and change. I am committed to addressing this situation and would be willing to sit down and discuss it with management. However, please know that I will wait for a response and if my office has not heard back in writing within 30 days, I will notify Code Enforcement to do a thorough examination of living conditions. If you have any questions please call me at (804) 646-2779 at your earliest convenience.”
To interview a spokesperson, contact Rachel Hefner at rachelhefner@virginia-organizing.org or 336-988-1047.
