Trinity United Methodist Church — Host Of Residents’ Resource Fair
Hundreds of residents remain scattered across the Birmingham suburb two months after The Park at Buckingham apartments off West Valley Avenue were condemned, and the 583-unit complex now faces a scheduled review by the city’s Municipal Housing Code Abatement Board this month to assess whether unsafe buildings constitute a public nuisance. A tenant lawsuit filed in August alleges the property’s owner and manager knew about black mold, rat infestations and sewage backups for months before code officers posted emergency vacate notices on most of the buildings.
Tenant Joshua Young sued property owner Contour Buckingham AL LLC, its property managers, and court-appointed receiver Farbman Group in Jefferson County Circuit Court, alleging negligence over safety hazards that went unaddressed until the complex was condemned, according to The Cool Down. The suit, filed days after the emergency notices went up, lists black mold, rat infestations and sewage backups among the conditions residents say were ignored. Those complaints echo what Homewood Star has reported at the property for some time: water intrusion, warped floors, leaks, mold and other maintenance issues that eventually prompted Homewood Fire Department officials to find some units unsafe for human occupancy.
City Says Managers Had Weeks of Warning
Court filings cited in local reporting indicate Farbman Group was notified by Homewood officials as early as June 3 that five buildings faced code abatement action — nearly two months before condemnation notices were posted on tenant doors in late July, per the same Cool Down report. Tenants have said they received no individual advance warning before the notices appeared. Homewood code enforcement officers ultimately posted condemnation notices on most of the complex’s buildings, giving affected residents 30 days to vacate…