Sykes weighs in on Alpha Towers, Greenbelt Place issues
8/8/2013
THE BLADE
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Larry Sykes
A member of the Toledo Board of Education told reporters today he is concerned that living conditions at the Alpha Towers and the Greenbelt Place apartment buildings affect students' self esteem, making some drop out of school.
Larry Sykes, who last month filed to run for Toledo City Council, spoke at the Thurgood Marshall Building, 420 E. Manhattan Blvd., the district headquarters.
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Mr. Sykes urged the city of Toledo and the federal Housing and Urban Development to have the apartments' owners fix such problems such as bed bugs, faulty elevators, and absence of air conditioners.
To get owners to comply, he suggested the following steps: rents be put in escrow accounts by tenants until issues are addressed and resolved; HUD vouchers be taken from the property owners, with tenants assisted in moving to other locations, and fining the property owners on a daily basis for inaction.