Yvette Howell has rented her Lanterman Avenue house on the city’s south side for more than 20 years with few complaints. That was until last year. In a year’s time, Howell says her rent has nearly doubled, rising from $500 per month to $900. Moreover, while she said her house is in “livable” condition, the entity that owns the house or its local property manager has not responded to her calls to make necessary repairs or to remove trees that were cut down in November. “The only response I got is my rent went up three different times,” she said. “I was told they didn’t have any workers.”
In April 2023, Youngstown Houses LLC purchased 304 housing units from Gary Crim Inc. for $5.6 million, including Howell’s house. She said the new landlords and the management company it hired – All State Property Management — have all but ignored her requests for necessary repairs. “They’ve never been in my house,” she lamented.
Howell was among approximately 100 demonstrators Wednesday who mobilized in front of Turnberry Apartments at 834 E. Midlothian Blvd., an apartment complex owned by Youngstown Houses and managed by All State. The event was organized by community groups Youngstown Housing Task Force, Action, and the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.
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