High Street tenants call for reforms after being forced out due to unsafe living conditions

High Street tenant Jordan Corriveau speaks out against the current conditions and negligent experience at his place of residency.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet

HOLYOKE — Tenants displaced from 811 High St. after the building was condemned gathered with Springfield No One Leaves and Mayor Joshua Garcia on June 10 to call attention to what they described as landlord negligence by property owners Karan and Pooja Verma.

A city inspection on May 11 uncovered serious life-safety violations, including a gas leak, unsafe electrical work, plumbing issues, non-functioning fire protection systems and illegal apartment conversions.

Officials found the property had expanded from five units to nine without required permits or inspections, prompting the city to revoke its certificate of occupancy and order the building vacated.

Tenants were forced to leave the building within days. Jordan Corriveau said he paid rent expecting safe housing, but instead found himself living in unsafe conditions. Carmen Pares, whose family was displaced, said they went from having a home to not knowing where they would sleep within 24 hours.

“It wasn’t our landlord who stepped up to help us,” Pares said, noting that housing assistance came from community organizations and that landlords only provided accommodations after being ordered to do so by a judge.

Garcia said that Enlace de Familias, Way Finders, ARISE for Social Justice, and Springfield No One Leaves all quickly responded to the concerns reported and supported the displaced tenants.

The next court hearing is scheduled for July 1 to determine whether the landlords must continue paying for temporary housing while many tenants remain in hotels.

Corriveau said, “I’m 26, and like a lot of young people, I’m trying to build a stable life for myself. I work hard; I pay my rent. I wasn’t looking for luxury; I wasn’t looking for anything special; I just wanted a safe place to live. Instead, I ended up in unsafe and neglected housing owned by Karan and Pooja Verma of Archer Built LLC.”

Pares shared her experience as a mother who has spent “the last month living through a nightmare that no family should experience.”

“I’m speaking out because what happened to me should not happen to anyone else,” Pares stated. “No tenant paying their rent should wake up one day and lose their home because of conditions they did not create. No child should miss school because their family was displaced. No family should have to rely on community donations and court orders just to secure basic housing.”

After going around knocking on doors, Pares found that many tenants who were living in Verma-owned properties faced similar issues.

Among them was Carolyn Holmes, who rents from the owners at a property in Orange. She expressed concerns about what tenants have endured, including overflowing trash that attracts large rodents, ongoing maintenance concerns, safety concerns, and a lack of ice and snow removal during the winter.

She also highlighted a recent problem. Holmes said that for multiple months, her national grid electric bill exceeded $1,000 a month in a two-bedroom apartment. After asking for an investigation from the electric company due to high electric use, Holmes said investigators were unable to gain access to the meters when they arrived, and she said the financial burden continues.

“For many of us, these problems go far beyond inconvenience. They impact our safety, our finances, our health and our ability to remain housed,” Holmes stated. “This press conference is not about one tenant, one complaint, one building. It’s about a pattern of concerns many residents have experienced across multiple properties.”

Garcia talked about the situation at the condemned property, stating, “The situation at 811 High Street is one of the most frustrating and unacceptable cases of property owner negligence. You’ve heard a consistent pattern, and to my government colleagues across the commonwealth, I’d be very mindful and look into these particular owners in your communities and make sure they’re not doing anything similar to what we’re experiencing here in Holyoke or even in Orange, Massachusetts.”

Garcia also highlighted and applauded the response of the Board of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Law Department and Office of Community Development.

He said for anyone going through a similar problem to contact the mayor’s office, an elected official or any organization in town that deals with housing for help.

Garcia concluded with a warning to landlords who are neglecting their tenants and ignoring housing and safety regulations.

“If you’re creating apartments without permits, bypassing inspections, converting spaces illegally, or ignoring the life and safety requirements, expect enforcement action,” Garcia stated. “We’re not going to tolerate landlords putting profits ahead of the safety of our residents in this community.”