Scammed tenants at a North Philadelphia apartment complex can stay in their units — for now
The judge continued an eviction hearing until March 29 and says the tenants can stay in the meantime.
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Tenants of a North Philadelphia apartment complex who say they were scammed by their buildings’ property manager will be able to stay in their units for at least the next two weeks.
At a sometimes chaotic Zoom proceeding Monday, Common Pleas Court Judge Joshua Roberts continued until March 29 a hearing on a requested eviction order and said that those residents would remain “leased tenants” in the meantime.
Most tenants had paid thousands of dollars in rent to ex-building manager Frank Sanders, and were shocked and distraught to find that Gagandeep Lakhmna, owner of the Moscow and Monica apartment complex, had locked them out of their units and turned off utilities. He requested the eviction order on March 4.
Lakhmna alleged that he was unaware that Sanders had rented the units and believes Sanders pocketed the rent money and fled. Lakhmna’s lawsuit also states — without supporting evidence — that tenants who paid Sanders were engaged in illegal activity, and should be removed from the building for other tenants’ safety.
But Roberts said that until at least the hearing reconvenes, the tenants “should be allowed to live their lives as they would ordinarily do without fear of not being able to get back in.”
» READ MORE: A Philly landlord is trying to evict tenants after his property manager stole their rent money
The hearing was continued to give tenant attorneys Vikram Patel and Rachel Garland of Philadelphia’s Community Legal Services more time with the four clients they represent.
Most of the scammed tenants have been locked out of their units since late February, and have had to stay inside or break down their doors to continue living there.
In the injunction request, Lakhmna and his attorney, Don Benedetto, contended that the “self-help” tactics used — like locking tenants out of units and turning off utilities — were “peaceful.”
The petition also claims that tenants are exempt from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eviction moratorium, which will last in Philadelphia at least until the end of March.
» READ MORE: State AG’s Office says North Philadelphia lockout illegal, violates coronavirus eviction moratorium
Previous attempts to reach Sanders were unsuccessful.