Change prompts Bedford to drop lawsuit against apartments that had 91 code violations

New owners are purchasing the beleaguered Linbrook Apartments, which have been plagued with numerous health and safety violations.

Bedford spokesperson Natalie Foster said the city decided to drop the lawsuit it filed against the former owners of the apartment complex after officials learned that it was purchased by Dallas-based TriPro Management.

Eric Conner, a spokesman for TriPro Management, said the purchase of the apartment complex was finalized Jan. 9, the same day the city filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Bedford Mayor Jim Griffin said he is glad to see that the complex at 531 Bedford Road, has new owners.

“I am excited that we have reached this point in the process,” Griffin said of the purchase. “I am encouraged that the developer wants to enhance it (the property) and improve it.”

Last March, the city sued Brigelle Bedford Holdings and YTMH LLC, alleging that management failed to address violations including exposed wiring, rodent infestation, raw sewage and broken water lines, broken fences and structural problems.

According to the suit, the complex owners were issued 56 citations for 91 code violations in 2016. Bedford also alleged that the former owners ignored repeated warnings to address the violations or face legal action.

Then in August, Linbrook tenant Emily Ortega and her family awoke to find that the ceiling in the kitchen collapsed, ruining the microwave and stove.

She told the Star-Telegram at the time that she and her family had dealt with shoddy, unsafe conditions such as leaking air conditioning units and broken plumbing since they moved to the complex last February.

This story was originally published January 11, 2018 at 11:22 AM with the headline "Change prompts Bedford to drop lawsuit against apartments that had 91 code violations."