NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Attorneys for the city of Newport News said the owner of SeaView Lofts needs to pay up for several missed water and sewer bill payments.
In June 2022, building code violations at SeaView Lofts led to a condemnation order by a circuit court judge, forcing hundreds of residents out of the building within a two-day window.
However, according to newly filed court documents by Newport News city attorneys, the owner of the building still owes the city payments dating between May 2021 and April 2023.
Attorneys argued the apartment's owner requested service from Newport News City Waterworks Department in 2020 when he opened the 135-unit building. They said the owner now owes approximately $153,391.
That's not the only department calling for the SeaView Lofts owner to pay up.
Attorneys for the Hampton Roads Sanitation District said the owner didn't pay for the wastewater treatment based on the water services. They added they notified the owner about the monthly bill payments and potential late fees, but never received a response or legal explanation.
Attorneys provided documentation, showing the bills sent to SeaView Lofts for the water treatment services. The documents dated back to May 2021.
Now, the attorneys for HRSD are calling for the owner to pay $130,386 in late payments.
"SeaView's offenses threaten the public health and welfare of their residents and shows wanton or reckless conduct as to manifest a willful disregard of the rights of others," attorneys wrote in the paperwork. "HRSD has demanded repayment, but SeaView has failed and refused to make payments."
13News Now reached out to the attorneys representing the SeaView Lofts, but they did not respond to our questions.
The City of Newport News also paid for several weeks' worth of hotel stays for the residents who had to leave their apartments, which cost the city tens of thousands of dollars.
Several law groups on behalf of dozens of tenants filed two lawsuits against SeaView Lofts last year.
One aimed to help the tenants recoup some of the damages from the move-out process and a federal lawsuit focused on the alleged discrimination against tenants with disabilities, but mediation talks stalled in court in April when trying to discuss a potential trial date.
A judge recently removed the condemnation order for the building, but living conditions inside such as mold are still a problem, preventing tenants from moving back inside, according to one of the attorneys representing the tenants.