City of Memphis Files Petition Against Serenity Towers for “Chronic Nuisance”
The City of Memphis is taking legal action in the escalating crisis at the Serenity Towers senior living facility. The city has filed a petition with the Shelby County Environmental Court against Serenity Towers and its management company, Millennia, to declare the property a “chronic nuisance”. This landmark move came in response to ongoing concerns about the complex’s state of affairs and management.
“Long Time Coming”: Memphis Tenants Union
Alex Uhlmann, an organizer for the Memphis Tenants Union, expressed his thoughts on the situation. “I think it’s a long time coming,” he said. The Memphis Tenants Union has been monitoring Millennia Housing Management’s problems with Serenity Towers, some of which date back to 2020.
According to the petition filed by the city, these problems involve malfunctioning elevators, persistent issues with HVAC provision, inadequate hot water supply, poor pest control – including bed bugs, and over 2,000 calls for service to the Memphis Police Department. Of these calls, 626 were redirected to Memphis Fire, and 155 reports were taken for various incidents including assaults, arson, burglaries, drug-related crimes, and more.
Millennia’s Track Record
The management company has been under scrutiny for a while. “Millennia has been a bad actor in the city for a long time,” Uhlmann explained. Recent incidents have highlighted the urgency of the situation, including two separate shootings on the property and the subsequent recommendation of patrolling armed guards.
Millennia is also embroiled in legal battles elsewhere. The City of Atlanta filed a lawsuit against them for their failure to maintain one of their apartment buildings, resulting in the relocation of hundreds of residents and a debt of $10 million to the city. Uhlmann wonders what will happen to the residents of Serenity Towers in Memphis.
“Alarming” Conditions
State Representative GA Hardaway and Shelby County Property Assessor Melvin Burgess had previously sounded the alarm about the conditions at Serenity Towers, describing them as “the most disgusting instance of constituency problems.”
Millennia was previously fined $4,000 by the Shelby County Environmental Court for the failure of air conditioning and elevator services. Arthur Krauer, executive vice president of Millennia, assured Judge Patrick Dandridge that the issues would be resolved within a week. However, city inspectors reported to the judge that the problems persisted and residents were now facing hot water issues. Consequently, an additional $3,000 fine was imposed.
Awaiting Response
The management company has yet to comment on the City of Memphis’ petition. A hearing for the petition is scheduled for May 14 at 1:30 p.m.
As this critical situation unfolds, the welfare of the Serenity Towers’ residents hangs in the balance. The nature of this rapidly evolving issue and the pending court proceedings underline the importance of ensuring high living standards and effective management for facilities such as Serenity Towers.
