MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Following a unanimous city council vote to pursue condemnation, Woodley Terrace Apartments faces an uncertain legal future. But the path forward is complicated by three separate lawsuits already underway against the property owners and management company—each with different objectives but overlapping concerns about safety and habitability.
The 3 lawsuits
The first lawsuit: Tenants filed suit against the property owners and management company before the December fire occurred. This case remains active.
The second lawsuit: Attorney Sayge Grubbs is filing on behalf of tenants affected by the fire and the family of Johnny Payne, who died in the December blaze.
The third lawsuit: The City of Montgomery previously sued the property owners over conditions at the complex. The city recently moved to reopen that case following the deadly fire and subsequent building inspections that revealed multiple violations.
Pattern of problems across multiple properties
The legal complexity extends beyond Montgomery. Records show this is not the first EEG Management-operated property to face scrutiny or potential shutdown…