PERINTON, N.Y. — Last month, a large fire at an apartment complex in Perinton displaced more than 60 residents.
The cause of the fire has still not been released, but now residents are speaking out against what they say are poor living conditions.
People who say they have lived in the Pines of Perinton apartment complex for years brought up several issues they say have never been resolved by management. They call the conditions inhumane.
"I could not cook in my oven for four years," said Tiffany, a former resident of the complex. "If you tap the top of the oven mouse poop would come down on your food. That's how bad it was just for the mice in my apartment. I lived upstairs. There was no insulation for heat. So I would have to heat my apartment with my three young sons with my oven. And I think a lot of you guys can relate to that."
Mice, mold, broken heaters, water damage, unplowed sidewalks and lack of lighting outside are just a few issues people who live at the Pines of Perinton brought up Monday in a Zoom discussion. Senator Samra Brouk and Assemblywoman Jennifer Lunsford listened to the complaints.
The alleged issues could potentially be an especially big concern for children and the elderly who call the units home. But residents remain because the complex is one of the few affordable housing options in the Fairport area, where parents want their kids to go to school.
Senator Brouk says her team has been working with residents. She visited the apartments herself.
During Monday's Zoom meeting, management did say they will follow up with residents and local officials.
Pines of Perinton spokesperson Ed Cafasso released the following statement on Tuesday:
"The staff at the Pines of Perinton take these concerns very seriously. We urge residents with maintenance issues to report them to management immediately so that they can be addressed as soon as possible.
In addition to regular inspections, resident feedback and cooperation are the most important ways for us to identify and resolve matters like these. That’s why we have an on-site maintenance team and offer residents a 24-our hotline to report problems after normal business hours.
In 2021, our maintenance staff completed 2,350 service request – an average of 45 each week. In addition, pest control technicians are on-site weekly to treat the property and apartments where issues have been reported.
The property team works hard every day to improve resident satisfaction, while dealing with the inherent challenge of managing a 43-acre property with 508 apartments and almost 1,200 residents. In anonymous satisfaction surveys conducted in the last two years, we have received high mark from residents for maintenance support and property upkeep, professionalism and courtesy.
We recognize that more needs to be done. The Pines of Perinton is 50 years old and, since it was acquired in 2019, we have spent more than $1.1 million on capital improvements to address issues we inherited from prior ownership.
Later this year, with the support of the State of New York, the County of Monroe and the Town of Perinton, we are planning to invest more than $50 million in a phased renovation project that will not only dramatically upgrade resident homes and the property but also preserve the apartments as affordable housing.
The renovation will deliver new kitchens, bathrooms and windows in every apartment; new roofs on every building; upgraded mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems with better energy efficiency; and improved common areas, breezeways, laundry rooms and playgrounds. In addition, 26 apartments will be made handicapped accessible – the first-ever accessible units at this property.
Equally as important, the affordable housing programs currently serving residents will be extended for decades to come, guaranteeing that the Pines of Perinton will remain the best and largest source of affordable housing in the area. With support from local, state and federal officials, we look forward to starting work on this important renovation project by the end of this year."
