Tenants Protest High Rent

Tenants of a Windsor Street building and representatives of the Cambridge Tenants' Union said yesterday that a city landlord unfairly increased the building's rent while neglecting maintenance.

The tenants cited peeling paint, holes in ceilings and floors, heat problems, mice and poor upkeep in the building's common areas. In short, critics say a city agency agreed to raise rents for a building that is "abominable" and "a dump." And they say 266-270 Windsor St. is a perfect example of why the city's rent control system needs structural reforms.

Landlord Alex Steinbergh defended himself from these complaints last week in hearings before the city council's sub-committee on rent control.

Councillor Jonathan S. Myers, chair of the sub-committee, said last week's testimony impressed on him the "striking disparities between the conditions of the building and what was going to with the rent." He said he hopes to submit a report to the council within ten days recommending remedies to the situation.

Other city officials, however, defended the rent hike as a proper measure.

The Rent Control Board permitted a raise in the rent in March as an inflation adjustment, according to Buddy Packer, general adjustment specialist for the board. Packer said the decision to allow the rent increase wasreached after standard procedure.

"We followed all board regulations on it," hesaid. "It's based on hours of documentation of[Steinbergh's] actual expenses."

According to Packer, the Rent Control Boardsent notices to the tenants informing them of theraise and asking them to respond if they wereunsatisfied with the condition of the building.The board is prohibited by law from increasing therent until all repairs have been made, Packersaid.

Five tenants in the 16 unit buildingcomplained, Packer said. Two later signedaffadavits of compliance confirming thatSteinbergh had made repairs. Packer said boardinvestigations of the other three revealed thatone of the units was in satisfactory condition,and Steinbergh reported that the other two hadbeen repaired. The board then approved theincrease.

"We have a process, and the process worked," hesaid. "They complained, their apartments werefixed, the raise went through."

But resident Edwina Kenney, who did not sign anaffidavit of compliance, said the building'scondition is far from satisfactory. Kenney saidher rent was recently raised from $615 to $642 amonth, but that she will not pay the differencebecause the building "looks like a dump."

"I haven't seen any improvements around here,and [the rent has] gone up every year," she said."The common areas need to be painted, the yardneeds to be kept up...I have a hole in myceiling."

Steinbergh was unavailable for comment.

Constance D. Thibaut, a member of the steeringcommittee for the Cambridge Tenants' Union,sharply disagreed with the Rent Control Board'sdecision, calling the condition of the building"abominable."

"The Rent Board is not doing its job, period,"she said. "It's outrageous that they've allowedthese raises."

Thibaut said that tenants who do not understandEnglish well may have been intimidated intosigning the affidavits of compliance even when thework wasn't done.

Kenney agreed, saying some of the tenants were"scared," and signed even though they weren'tsatisfied with the repairs

"We followed all board regulations on it," hesaid. "It's based on hours of documentation of[Steinbergh's] actual expenses."

According to Packer, the Rent Control Boardsent notices to the tenants informing them of theraise and asking them to respond if they wereunsatisfied with the condition of the building.The board is prohibited by law from increasing therent until all repairs have been made, Packersaid.

Five tenants in the 16 unit buildingcomplained, Packer said. Two later signedaffadavits of compliance confirming thatSteinbergh had made repairs. Packer said boardinvestigations of the other three revealed thatone of the units was in satisfactory condition,and Steinbergh reported that the other two hadbeen repaired. The board then approved theincrease.

"We have a process, and the process worked," hesaid. "They complained, their apartments werefixed, the raise went through."

But resident Edwina Kenney, who did not sign anaffidavit of compliance, said the building'scondition is far from satisfactory. Kenney saidher rent was recently raised from $615 to $642 amonth, but that she will not pay the differencebecause the building "looks like a dump."

"I haven't seen any improvements around here,and [the rent has] gone up every year," she said."The common areas need to be painted, the yardneeds to be kept up...I have a hole in myceiling."

Steinbergh was unavailable for comment.

Constance D. Thibaut, a member of the steeringcommittee for the Cambridge Tenants' Union,sharply disagreed with the Rent Control Board'sdecision, calling the condition of the building"abominable."

"The Rent Board is not doing its job, period,"she said. "It's outrageous that they've allowedthese raises."

Thibaut said that tenants who do not understandEnglish well may have been intimidated intosigning the affidavits of compliance even when thework wasn't done.

Kenney agreed, saying some of the tenants were"scared," and signed even though they weren'tsatisfied with the repairs