Residents of Calais apartments in turmoil as closure imminent

The approximately 30 residents of one of the largest subsidized housing complexes in Calais are in turmoil as a result of the cancellation of the St. Croix Apartment's Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) contract. Occupants of the building's 26 units were notified in early January that HUD would be abating the contract because of unsatisfactory physical conditions on March 1.
"There are no words to describe it," says Beverly Casey, a 12‑year resident of the St. Croix Apartments. "A lot of people here are getting sick with worry about what will happen and where we'll go."
The safety problems began in earnest about a year ago when the elevator for the multiple‑story building stopped working. Officially suspended from service in September 2015, the non‑functioning elevator prevented physically disabled residents of the lowest level from using the main entrance of the building, in addition to other challenges.
"I had to be carried up the stairs to the ambulance on a gurney before," resident Phyllis Stevens says. "It was terrible."
The lack of the elevator also prevents many residents from accessing the storage units on the lowest level, and still more struggle daily with bringing groceries or laundry up or down the several flights of stairs. For some residents, not having a working elevator discourages them from leaving their apartments as much as they would prefer.
While the elevator is a major concern, it is not the only factor in HUD's decision to terminate the contract. The electrical system for the fire alarm has been faulty for months, resulting in false alarms being triggered on a frequent basis.
"The fire alarm system will still alert people to leave the building, but it gives false calls because it is so antiquated. It can't pinpoint where a fire is," City of Calais Code Enforcement Officer Tim Krug says.
According to Krug, the owner of St. Croix Apartments, Aaron Gleich of New York, had requested quotes from an engineering firm and an elevator repair company last year to have the work completed. Quotes were provided from both companies, but neither had received a reply from Gleich to proceed with the work.
In response to why he didn't take the quotes, Gleich replies that he had felt the amounts quoted for the work were unfair. "I have certain principles," he says. He says that, in the case of the elevator, all of the parts to complete the work were already on hand. He also notes that the last contractor he had hired to fix the elevator had billed him without actually completing the repairs.
Regarding the cancellation of the contract, Gleich says, "It's crazy. I have a very good facility. We do not try to save money. It's been frustrating on both ends." Gleich has since hired a lawyer based in Dover‑Foxcroft to facilitate negotiations.
With March 1 rapidly approaching, Krug took it upon himself to contact the respective companies and to verify that the quotes would still be honored. Though he had not yet heard from the elevator repair company as of press time, he says he believes that they would do so. "I told them we're on a deadline. We're hoping to have everything done by the end of the month."
Even if the repairs are completed, however, it is not clear that the HUD contract would be able to be restored. Rhonda Siciliano, public affairs officer for HUD in New England, says that it would not be. "The owner has been given numerous opportunities to meet physical deficiencies but has failed to do so." Siciliano says that the past three inspections C completed in August 2014, February 2015 and August 2015 C received scores of 56, 28 and 52, respectively. Any score below 60 is considered a failure to pass. After no indication was given that the problems were remedied, HUD proceeded to issue a notification to residents saying they would receive tenant protection vouchers with which to relocate.
"HUD's priority is to ensure that the residents of St. Croix Apartments have decent, safe and sanitary housing to live in," Siciliano comments, noting that HUD will be assisting residents in finding new accommodations -- an admittedly difficult task. "Finding replacement housing in Calais is going to be very challenging due to the extremely tight market there and the need for accessible units for the elderly residents."
Recognizing that displacing approximately 30 people is undesirable at best, City Manager Jim Porter says the city is doing everything it can without getting financially involved to keep the residents in place. "I know the owner is taking steps to fix the problems. If he does get the problems fixed, we'll do what we can to support the people who want to stay." However, Porter says that the problems had been long‑standing, and because of that "I can't commit to it until I know for sure he'll be fixing the problems."
For many residents, being able to stay in the building and the area would be a welcome resolution. "I really don't want to leave the area. I've lived here my whole life," resident Rick Bartlett says. "When everything's working well, this is a nice place to live. Everyone gets along. In the summer you can walk right down to the riverfront and enjoy the river."
With no moving vouchers yet in hand, and few prospects on where they will be relocated to, the residents have no choice but to wait and see how the situation develops. "We're all taking it a day at a time," says property manager Susan Doyle, herself a resident.