Owner of apartments that burned involved in 20 open court cases

“We have them in court. There are a number of charges against them for different buildings,” said City of Fairfield building superintendent Rick Helsinger.

All but one charge are Failure to Maintain Existing Structure, and one is for Failure to Obtain a Permit. The violations range from safety hazards to sanitary conditions.

“We have mold and zoning code violations with either plaster problems, water leaks from plumbing systems, door problems ... just numerous issues with different aspects,” Helsinger said.

Melissa Jessie, who lived in the destroyed building, is living with a friend in the complex with her three children, one of whom suffers from cystic fibrosis. She was cautious of moving into another unit.

“There are reports of high mold. It’s not healthy for us to move in,” she said.

Heritage Glen leasing agent Stephanie Schultz said maintenance personnel are going into the buildings one by one to deal with the mold.

“If there’s mold, we cut it out. We don’t cover it up or paint over it. We get rid of it,” she said. “It’s not something we take lightly.”

Before the fire destroyed one building, the complex was composed of 10 buildings, and the Fairfield Building and Zoning Department had inspected eight. Helsinger said that at the destroyed building’s last inspection, there were no violations.

“The one that burned down did not have any pending charges,” he said.

The department inspects the apartments when it receives complaints from tenants, he said. Twenty-five cases against Eastgate Village LTD were filed between May and November of 2008 — Twenty-four are classified as criminal and one as civil. Four criminal cases and the civil case have been dismissed, according to court records.

Schultz said the complex is dealing with the violations one at a time, and performs repairs as funds become available. She said the property manager is “like a revolving door,” with a new person taking the position frequently. The current manager, Tina Mueller, has been in her position for about two months, Schultz said.

“The cooperation with corporate is working out better,” she said. “It’s a lot better now; things are getting done.”

The last court date was Aug. 31, where Judge Joyce Campbell continued all open criminal cases to Dec. 7.

“At that time, they’re supposed to have eight of the 10 buildings completed and free of any zoning violations,” Helsinger said.

The Eastgate Village LTD attorney did not return calls for comment.