Owner of Rocky Hill apartment complex will pay residents up to $5.1 million in total
The owner of a Rocky Hill apartment complex where residents were forced to evacuate last month will provide up to $5.1 million in financial relief for the residents.
Hundreds of residents had to leave all five buildings of the 544-unit Concierge Apartments earlier in February due to burst pipes, flooding damage, and a lack of sprinkler systems. The damage prompted an investigation by Attorney General William Tong’s office.
Two of the five buildings — buildings A and C — are still deemed unsafe to live in, but residents were told they could move back into building B last week and were told they could move back into buildings D and E in mid-February. Now, Attorney General William Tong says these residents who were displaced will receive financial compensation.
Residents in buildings A, B, and C will each receive cash payments between $1,100 and $1,700 per unit. Apartments with one occupant will receive $1,100; those with two occupants will receive $1,300; those with three occupants will receive $1,500; and those with four occupants will receive $1,700.
These residents will also receive free rent for three months, one month of free water and property utilities, and may break their lease without penalty if they provide notice by March 28 in building B or within 21 days of returning to their apartments in buildings A and C.
For buildings D and E, which were able to move back in earlier, each unit will receive a $500 cash payment, regardless of the number of occupants in each apartment. These residents will receive one month of free rent and free water and property utilities for February.
The attorney general also said a future agreement will “address ongoing inspections and accountability measures at the property, as well as improved lines of communication between property management, the Town of Rocky Hill and residents.”
“Still today, hundreds of Concierge residents are living in hotels, some far from their community, their jobs and schools,” Tong said in a press release. “The work required to address years of neglect and mismanagement will cost millions upon millions of dollars. This $5.1 million in direct financial relief to Concierge residents will provide a measure of immediate compensation for these harms.”
JRK Property Holdings, the owner of the Concierge Apartments, also has a hotline and an email address for residents with questions about the agreement with the attorney general. The owner is based in California.
“I look forward to working with the Attorney General to hold JRK accountable for better communication, maintenance and the ensuring the health and safety of residents over the long term,” Rocky Hill Mayor Allan Smith said in the press release.
A statement by JRK Property Holdings said the fiscal package includes rent relief, utility reimbursements, and financial support for eligible residents.
“We recognize the strain this placed on residents, and this package reflects our continued commitment to supporting residents and ensuring this housing remains available for the Rocky Hill community as it grows in the years ahead,” the spokesperson said in part in the statement.
Concierge previously said that the extremely cold temperatures throughout February had hampered their original repair efforts. Many residents were living in hotels.
Other local officials, such as Rep. John Larson and Sen. Chris Murphy, went to the complex to look at the damage and investigate.
“This should never have happened and cannot happen again,” Tong said.
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