Video Story
Watch Video100 almost end up homeless because landlord didn't pay bills
Story By: David Ortiviz
Source: KOAA
More than a hundred people in Pueblo almost ended up homeless after getting caught in the middle of an ugly dispute. Tenants at the Minnequa Motel on Lake Ave. paid their rent, but somehow some of the utility bills weren't paid. They nearly got kicked out--twice. That didn't happen only because a local homeless agency stepped in.
"I really resent anybody coming here and trying to say something when you should have came to us in the first place," said the owner. On Friday, homeless activist LaTanya Yarbrough of Posada met with the owner of the Minnequa Motel for the first time. But he wouldn't tell us his name.
"I am frustrated as heck as you can see," said the owner. Posada is equally frustrated.
"My concern is there are people out here, they're human beings they don't deserve this," said Yarbrough.
About a hundred people live at the motel and twice their water has been shut off because the landlord didn't pay the bill. The power was also shut off last month for the same reason.
The tenants almost got kicked out twice by the health department, because it wasn't safe to stay. "We feel that these people are somehow being victimized. It's not their fault if they're paying their rent they should get what they're expected," said Yarbrough.
News First asked the owner: "Why couldn't you pay the water bill?" He responded "We didn't know it hadn't been paid."
The owner blames his motel manager. "That was part of his job," said the owner. He claims his employee was stealing money and didn't pay the bills. "We finally got him out of here as of Noon yesterday (thursday)," he said.
So who paid the bills? Posada did. Nearly $2,500 in all. The agency helps the homeless but usually not in this manner. "We found it would be easier to pay the bill have the water turned back on that day than to have to deal with 108 people on a weekend with no where to go," said Yarbrough.
News First asked the owner: "Are you going to reimburse them?" The owner responded: "Certainly." But he left with out giving Posada his direct phone number--just his word that it would get resolved.
Posada says it's working with the tenants and county legal services to hopefully stop this from happening again.
