Security guards walk off the job at Homewood House

PITTSBURGH — Residents of the Homewood House, a senior affordable housing high-rise on Frankstown Avenue in Homewood, are pleading for help.

Hakeem Muhammad says the apartment building continues to face mounting issues.

“We need help at the Homewood House,” he told Channel 11. “There’s a lot of things going on. The building smells, there’s no air conditioning in the hallways and it’s hot, it’s like the funk from the carpets is coming up and you can smell it. There’s still roaches, there’s still bedbugs, there’s big-time mice.”

Channel 11 has previously reported on ongoing pest problems at Homewood House, most recently in February.

Now, according to residents, the building is facing a new issue. They say St. Moritz Security guards walked off the job on Friday.

Muhammad saw it happen.

“I’m like, ‘Where are y’all going?’ He was like, ‘We quit. We’re not getting paid,’ [I was like], ‘What do you mean?’ [He said], ‘We quit, I haven’t been paid in two weeks, so we’re leaving,’” Muhammad recounted.

Sources tell Channel 11 that the building’s owner, New Jersey-based NB Affordable, LLC is not paying vendors, including St. Moritz.

“This organization is getting their rent from HUD. They’re getting their payment, but they’re not making payment to the vendors they have coming in here, providing services for our community,” said community advocate Sam Gibson.

According to Gibson, St. Moritz security staff was replaced by a new company Monday.

The details of that change are still unclear.

“As of today, there was security in there. We don’t know how long they’re going to stay and how long their contract is for if there’s any contract,” Gibson said.

Channel 11 reached out to St. Moritz and NB Affordable, LLC for more information about the security change and the alleged debt owed but has not heard back from either company.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group