LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — This week, the City of Little Rock asked the Big Country Chateau apartment complex to face fines for code violations. Meanwhile, the new court-appointed management wants the past-due rent handed in.
Sentencing for Big Country Chateau began in November, but for months the judge delayed punishment. The court used this time to continue checking in with property owners until the code violations, which date back to 2019, were largely fixed.
Now, Little Rock's city attorney wants to see justice served with Big Country Chateau paying a hefty fine. This comes in a letter from City Attorney Alan Jones to Judge Mark Leverett that explains nearly all apartment violations are back up to code or boarded up.
At the same time, because of the long-lasting leaks, bug infestations and mold growth, many tenants said they haven't paid rent in months.
But the new receiver, Tarantino Properties, wants to start fresh. They're informing tenants in a notice this week that they're "proud" to represent the apartments and want all balances paid starting March 1.
Meanwhile, two utility shut-off scares later, advocacy group Arkansas Renters United is still working to help tenants move out and searching for help wherever they can.
"A church donated and helped tenants rent U-Hauls to move their stuff out of their apartments," Arkansas Renters United Organizer Niel Sealy said. "It's going to be tough, and there's going to have to be a lot of people involved in really getting people to better places. If that's what they want to do."
Little Rock's department of housing and neighborhood programs is also looking for ways to help. They previously offered a hotel voucher program for dozens of tenants planning to get other permanent housing.
The feds and the state also have their own lawsuits against Big Country Chateau, and both are still making their way through the courts.
Arkansas legal aid told us in the past that one of the reasons this process is moving relatively slowly is due to Arkansas' relatively weak tenant rights.
Big Country Chateau is expected to appear in court on March 8.