BILLERICA, Mass. — Some residents of a Billerica apartment complex are now homeless after property management terminated their leases. It comes more than a week after a pipe burst in one of the buildings, damaging dozens of units.
On Thursday, 18 people were told by management that their leases were terminated.
Renee Blanchette thought last week's pipe burst at the Commons apartment would be the worst of her problems. Turns out, that was only the beginning.
"Water was up to your knees," Blanchette said.
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After sleeping on friend's couches for the last week, Renee was told that her lease was terminated, effective immediately.
"I started crying. I had no, you know I got a little dog. I have no place to go. It's freezing out. I had no clothes, just what I had on my back," said Blanchette.
People in 17 other units were told the same thing. That's when State Representative Marc Lombardo decided to get involved.
"I was appalled to hear that people were having their leases cut. We've got a number of units in this building that are affordable housing units and not easy to just pick up and find another unit," said Lombardo.
Hours after, Mass. Housing Authority and Attorney General's Office stepped in, management found units for the affordable housing tenants, but that doesn't help people like Blanchette.
“I feel so helpless, so lost, so scared.” People living in 18 units in a Billerica apartment complex received lease termination notices yesterday, one week after a pipe burst displaced 40+ people at the complex. Why the state is now getting involved on @boston25 at 5:30.
— Natalie Rubino (@newswithnatalie) April 5, 2019
"I said, do you have any other apartments and she said, no we're full," Blanchette said.
Additionally, people from 40 other units have been staying in hotels for the last week and haven't been told by management when they can move back in.
Property management wouldn't go on camera but told us it's a fluid situation and they're doing the best they can.
Blanchette filed a case in civil court Friday, hoping she won't fall through the cracks.
"We were excellent tenants. Shame on you treating our tenants like this. Terrible," she said.
Cox Media Group
