The Fair Housing Commission (FHC) held a hearing on Jan. 7 to consider a tenant retaliation case filed by Kadi Ashby, president of the Alden Park Tenants Association, against L3C Alden Park Apartments.

Ashby, along with other tenants, organized their group in early 2025, after she said she personally had dealt with issues at the property, including mold in her unit. Ashby described late response times from maintenance, eventually hiring a lawyer after waiting more than three months for a response on the mold issue.

The commission ran out of time to complete the hearing and continued it to March 4 at 11:15 a.m.

The Local initially reported on tenants’ concerns in June, with several tenants detailing issues they’ve dealt with at the property. The tenants eventually gained the attention of City Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr., who toured the property with members of the association.

In June, tenants told the Local that they had witnessed fallen chunks of concrete coming off the high–rise building. In July, the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) issued the property owners a violation for cracked and fractured concrete on the exterior balconies. Alden has since complied with the order to repair it.

In September, Ashby received a formal notice from Alden Park’s property management, Point Management Group, under Ram Partners, LLC, informing her that they had decided not to renew her lease and would not provide a reason.

Ashby then reached out to property management and in an email exchange provided to the Local by Ashby, Alden Park’s management told her, “For year–to–year leases that are not renewed, we do not provide additional information. While I understand this may be frustrating, the decision not to renew your lease stands.”

At the Jan. 7 commission hearing, Ashby and her lawyer argued that the lease non–renewal was retaliation for her organizing the tenants’ association.

Ashby has continued to pay rent for her unit after being told management cannot evict her if the case is currently before the FHC.

At the hearing, the lawyers representing Alden Park and their management team pointed to a post Ashby made in a chat used by residents as the reason for her non-renewal. In the chat, Ashby posted realtor.com and zillow.com listings for homes belonging to executives at the company that owns Alden Park and wrote, “I wanted to see where our money was going, the presidents of [L3C Capital Partners], the company that owns Alden, and their multi–million dollar houses.”

Ashby said she came across the links by Googling the names of the executives.

Ashby said she didn’t learn about the specifics of the lease violation apartment officials say she committed until after an employee of City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke reached out to management on her behalf.

Ashby’s lawyer then presented an email from Chaim Kiffel, president of L3C, to their lawyer, Jake Segal, saying that they need to “focus on the two to three ring leaders of the association.”

At the hearing, the property manager, Theo Berry, testified that prior to sending the non-renewal notice, he was notified of Ashby’s post in the tenant chat by Tony Pierce, who is head of security for Alden Park and a tenant.

The lawyer for Alden’s team, Ann Schildhammer, then showed an exhibit with a screenshot of Ashby’s post before being interrupted by an FHC commissioner, who reminded Schildhammer that “if we have an objection to the addresses being posted, this is a public hearing, so we’re broadcasting people’s private information at this time.”

Pierce then testified about seeing the post and sending the screenshot to management.

“Once I saw the posting and I read the message, as a retired police officer, I did come, I did become quite concerned,” Pierce said. “Security–wise, I was somewhat concerned of the security of releasing those photos and the narrative that went along with them.”

Schildhammer then asked, “Do you believe that [the post] could potentially have put the safety of owners of that property, their family, and or their property at risk?” to which Piece responded, “potentially.”

Ashby’s lawyer, Madison Gray, then cross–examined Pierce, asking, “Mr. Pierce, you testified earlier that you live at Alden Park,” with Pierce responding, “I do.”

Gray then added, “And this is a public hearing, so your address is on the record of a public hearing,” with Pierce responding, “Sure. I have no problem with that.”

“Does that give you concern for your safety?” Gray asked.

“No, ma’am,” Pierce responded.

“The support from my fellow tenants both in and outside of Alden Park has been touching,” Ashby told the Local. “Where our elected officials are failing their constituents, our community is stepping in. I have been lucky to receive overwhelming support, and that support has driven home exactly who we’re fighting for and why we have to keep fighting.”