On February 19, a boarding home caught fire on Tucson’s Southside and displaced 22 residents, according to one of the managers. There were several houses providing services under the singular boarding home in a gated area. Only one of the houses caught fire, but all of the homes are now supposed to be vacant, according to the property owner.
The property had already been tied to facing fines and other penalties from the state health department and City of Tucson Code Enforcement. The day the boarding caught fire, the property owner had a hearing scheduled with the Arizona Department of Health Services regarding allegations of operating unlicensed facilities.
Not only did the property owner place the blame on his tenant operating GtooG Boarding Home, but he also took action through Pima County Superior Court by starting the process of an eviction in January. KGUN 9 attended a hearing in court in February and learned the property owner and tenant were looking to settle. This was despite the owner alleging he was owed $14,000 in unpaid rent, but his tenant’s defense argued a partial payment was accepted and waived the right to evict. On Friday, a scheduled follow-up hearing was canceled as the case had been dismissed with prejudice, meaning it is permanently dismissed…