The Monview Heights apartment complex in West Mifflin has been slapped with a "public nuisance" charge following a barrage of complaints regarding its dire disrepair and unsafe living conditions. According to a criminal complaint filed Monday and reported by WTAE, the property, home to many, has devolved into a scenario where essential maintenance has seemingly been abandoned.
Residents and the mayor of West Mifflin, Chris Kelly, have voiced their desire to see the complex shut down, condemning the egregious conditions. "The living conditions is horrible. We have rodents and raccoons in our walls," Article Bonner stated, as detailed by WTAE. The criminal complaint further outlines issues such as boarded-up windows in occupied units, sewage flowing openly down streets, and persistent mold problems.
The complex's new owner, who assumed control in January of 2023, has been pointedly blamed by Mayor Kelly for failing to meet their responsibilities. "If the company didn't have money, doesn't have money to improve it, they shouldn't have allowed the sale to go through. My hope is the courts take this property off them, and we find alternative housing," Kelly said, per WTAE. Meanwhile, a reflection of the crime and disorder comes in the form of over 500 service calls and more than 60 arrests at the complex within the past six months alone, as alleged in the complaint.
The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office has echoed these concerns, with DA Stephen Zappala's office also filing public nuisance charges against Mon View Heights. As per CBS News, out of 129 units inspected this summer, a staggering 96 failed the scrutiny of code enforcement. Zappala stated, "No person, let alone, family, should have to live in these conditions." Residents, sharing their agitation and peril, are eager for remedial action. "It's about time somebody is actually seeing the real problem here instead of putting it under a rug," resident Lisa Taylor said, in a sentiment that capably captures the years of frustration felt by many within the Monview Heights community.
