PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, District 9 Councilman Khari Mosley and other city leaders were back at Maple Ridge Apartments in East Hills Monday afternoon for a follow-up visit. They said they wanted to see if repairs have been made and vowed to address what they call “deplorable conditions.”
“They don’t deserve to be treated like this,” Mosley said. “I know I’m disturbed. I know the mayor is incredibly disturbed of what we’ve seen.”
City leaders said some families at the apartment complex have been living with a rodent infestation and bugs for months. The major complaint they said is that at least a dozen units don’t have heat right now and haven’t for a few weeks in these frigid temperatures.
“Nobody should have to live in the conditions they’re living in right now,” Mayor Gainey said. “It’s cold out here. They got babies. No one should have to come home to this. Nobody.”
A fire in one of the units just two days after Christmas brought the issues to light and prompted the mayor and councilman to check out the complex’s living conditions the next day.
Praise Lemons, 2, died shortly after she, her mother and five-year-old sister were rescued from their burning apartment.
Arthur Jones lived across the hall from the family and said Praise was a joy.
“It’s sad it takes such a tragic loss, an innocent baby that didn’t even get a chance to live yet, for us to be heard about any type of situation,” Jones said.
The property manager told Channel 11 he’s waiting on an HVAC company to fix the heat and gave tenants space heaters to use in the meantime.
The city’s Permits, Licenses & Inspections Department director said the condemned building has smoke and water damage and needs a new fire alarm before the 11 families that were forced out can move back in and feel safe.
“We are offering to expedite and streamline the process as much as possible,” said PLI Director David Green.
For weeks, the mayor said he hasn’t been able to get ahold of the property owner to fix all the problems.
“We have not yet, as of today, still been able to talk to the owners to discuss the conditions that is happening up here in these hills,” Gainey said.
Now that tenants have the city’s attention, they’re hopeful.
“We’re going to keep speaking up about our issues,” Jones said. “We’re not going to give up. We’re going to keep fighting.”
The displaced families are currently staying in a hotel.
City leaders said once all the work is done to bring the building up to code, families can move back in within a matter of weeks, but Green said that all depends on the property owner. The unit where the fire broke out will take longer because it has to be completely rebuilt.
Channel 11 reached out to MMS Group, the property owner of Maple Ridge Apartments, for comment but have not heard back.
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