Landlord tries to force tenants out after flooding, despite the building not being condemned

By Jenna Rae

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    ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — Shin-deep water, feces coming up from sewer water and damaged goods. It’s the experience one West End apartment complex is dealing with after the flooding two weeks ago. However, that’s not all. This past weekend, tenants were given a 72-hour notice to leave the property, turn in their keys, sign a release, and never come back.

“Around 3:30 in the morning, my wife comes up and wakes me up and says ‘Hey you gotta get up, the building’s flooding’,” Mark Williams said.

It’s something Williams said he’ll never forget. Williams has lived at Loop Lofts off North Skinker for more than two years now. On July 26, during St. Louis’ historic flooding, water surrounded Loop Lofts.

“It was just heartbreaking,” Williams said.

Williams said 2B Properties, who owns the building, sent in crews with squeegees and fans to clean the hallways. He said renters’ calls went unanswered and they were forced to deal with their own clean-up. Two days later, it rained again.

“That Thursday flood was the straw that broke the back. The personal property loss, I don’t know, the sentimental value things, things that can’t be replaced. It starts to hit you at day three,” Williams explained.

Then last Friday, everyone got a notice on their doors that said the building was uninhabitable and renters must leave no later than midnight on August 8. It also said that renters must turn in their keys and fobs and sign documentation releasing themselves out of their lease.

“We came up here from Texas. We don’t have any family in Missouri. We don’t have any options. So, the idea of being homeless really struck hard,” Williams added.

News 4 is looking into Williams’ lease. It states if the space becomes uninhabitable, the landlord must give a 30-day notice.

“We got a three-day notice,” Williams said.

News 4 found St. Louis City has not condemned the building either. However, they did state that 2B violated city code. Real estate experts and city leaders said renters don’t have to leave.

“We’re staying put. We feel our tenant rights are being violated. We’re not gonna get bullied out of here,” Williams explained.

News 4 went to 2B Properties’ offices in Des Peres, Monday. Despite there being people in the office, a receptionist told us we had to call someone else. We called, left a message, and are still waiting to hear back.

“We don’t need management groups like this in St. Louis. So, if I gotta take the bullet and stay strong with my 2-year-old daughter and wife and stay put and do what I gotta do to fight it, then maybe people who are a little less fortunate won’t have to deal with guys like these,” Williams said.

While News 4 was talking to Loop Lofts tenants, President Joe Biden approved relief for St. Louis area flood victims.

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