East Cleveland police have arrested the owner of a 50-unit apartment building that city officials say was so rundown it was no longer fit for anyone to live in. Residents at 1885 Taylor Road report they went months without heat and weeks without running water, leaning on space heaters and bottled water just to get through daily life. The owner now faces dozens of criminal counts and is expected in municipal court next month.
According to WOIO, the landlord, identified as Gaulter Amarelo Jr., who owns Z4 Properties, was taken into custody at his Fairview Park home on Feb. 25. He was booked on 50 misdemeanor counts tied to the Taylor Road building. Law Director Ken Myers told the station the charges followed a string of complaints and inspections that started in November 2024 and kept piling up.
Tenants Say They Lived Without Heat And Water
Posts on the Cleveland, Ohio Remembrance Page, along with local reporting, describe tenants trying to survive winter in apartments that had no working heat. Residents say they ran multiple space heaters to stay warm and sometimes went through several gallons of bottled water just to flush toilets. Conditions deteriorated to the point that the East Cleveland Fire Marshal asked residents to leave the building altogether. The Cleveland, Ohio Remembrance Page shares eyewitness accounts, details on families forced out of their homes, and notes that the owner is due in court on March 9.
Property Details And Records
Commercial listings and public records identify 1885 Taylor Road as a mid-rise building with roughly 50 apartments, which lines up with the number of misdemeanor counts filed by the city. LoopNet lists the structure as a four-story property with about 50 units, a detail that mirrors the city’s move to bring one charge for each apartment in the building.
What The Charges Could Mean
East Cleveland’s law director told WOIO that prosecutors filed one misdemeanor count per unit, describing the criminal case as an attempt to finally get the owner’s attention after repeated outreach by the city. The station reports that if the apartments remain uninhabitable, the city could pursue fines and possible jail time under local ordinances. Mayor Sandra Morgan told reporters the Taylor Road building has been cited multiple times for code violations.
What’s Next For Tenants
The embedded post and local coverage state that displaced tenants are now working with city officials and community organizations to line up temporary housing. Some posts mention that residents may be asked to provide proof that they have moved or are in the process of moving. The Cleveland, Ohio Remembrance Page continues to share updates from neighbors and advocates who are trying to connect affected families with resources ahead of the March 9 court date.
