NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Residents of condemned Seaview Lofts apartments are fighting back against their landlord after filing an amended lawsuit.
They say it’s been an uphill battle to recuperate any damages and get belongings, after residents were forced out of their home.
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"Frustrated, ready to go home," Vernetta Scarboro, a Seaview Lofts resident said.
Vernetta Scarboro had been a resident at Seaview for five years. She's one of 81 residents listed on an amended lawsuit seeking $50 million in damages.
The lawsuit says tenants were exposed to rodent infestations and mold. It also shows pictures of deplorable living conditions.
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In June of 2022, the building was condemned by the city of Newport News after failing inspections and having code violations. Residents had to leave their home behind.
"It’s too expensive to stay out in a hotel at $750 a week," Scarboro said.
News 3's Leondra Head spoke to John Maravelli, an attorney representing the Seaview Lofts tenants. He says tenants endured emotional and financial distress when they were forced out. He says an amended lawsuit was filed because "Weinstein breached his duty as a landlord."
The former Seaview Lofts apartment building is was renamed to Oceanside Tower.
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"When we first did the initial lawsuit, we did it really quickly with a goal of mediation in mind," Maravelli said.
But he says the tenants and owner of Seaview did not reach an agreement in mediation.
"For months they couldn’t retrieve their belongings," Maravelli said.
After about a year, the apartment building re-opened in April of 2023 but was condemned again in August due to a fire.
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"This is the second time I’ve been put out at no fault of my own," Scarboro said. "We came back last April under a new lease, and we were right back out again in August."
She said she talked to the property owner.
"He said this time the problem happened, it wasn’t his fault so he wouldn’t pay for us to stay in a hotel," Scarboro said. "So we had to come out of pocket."
News 3 reached out to the owner of the apartment building to get a response, but our calls went unanswered.
