Cottage Grove landlord accused of breaking state law, breaks his silence

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Story Published: Mar 5, 2008 at 6:24 PM PST

By Kim Quintero

COTTAGE GROVE - More than a dozen current and former tenants of a Cottage Grove apartment complex are raising money for attorney fees, after filing a lawsuit against their landlords.

We first showed you the horrific living conditions found at the Westwinds apartment complex in October 2007. Residents said the owners are refusing to obey state laws which require landlords to maintain livable housing conditions for their renters.

Tenants from that Cottage Grove complex said they can't afford to pay an attorney to represent them in court. And for the first time, we're hearing from one of the landlords, former Cottage Grove Mayor Darrel Williams.

Williams owns the complex along with former City Councilman Doug Perkey and Drain resident Russell Emel. We spoke with Williams at his home Wednesday afternoon. He said he hasn't even been served the lawsuit, and is reluctant to talk about it.

"It's horrible, but you know. People who know me, know I'm not like that," said Williams. "I'm an investor in it and that's it. And, that's all I have to say."

"We had electrical issues, bugs, cockroaches, stuff of that nature. The answer I got when we asked to fix it was well you're a man, you fix it," said Westwinds apartment tenant, Holley Gilmore.

For now, tenants are holding yard sales throughout the week in hopes of pulling in enough money to pay for an attorney.

In their lawsuit, residents are asking for about $200,000 for rent refunds and damages.

The group also wants the city to take a stand and create an ordinance establishing tenants rights.

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