Remaining tenants at Windsor Court face uncertainty under new management

(ABC 6 News) – A woman in Rochester is facing homelessness as she struggles to find affordable housing now that her apartment building is closing.

She was given until the end of September to vacate her home, but now time is running out. She plans to buy a tent with her next paycheck as she prepares to become homeless.

Tenants at Windsor Court were given one month to vacate their homes after new management took over in July. While most of them were able to make other living arrangements, there are five units still currently occupied.

One of these last remaining tenants, who was allowed to stay out the end of her lease in November, agreed to speak with ABC 6 News on the condition she remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation by the new owners.

She says she’s had maintenance issues and safety concerns since renovations began in the last three weeks, including a lack of running water, a pipe bursting in the unit above hers which created a leak and a broken window caused by another tenant.

On Monday the screen doors were removed from all units and now the doors to many empty apartments are being left open.

The words “NO DEMO” were written on her door to notify workers not to enter her unit, but on Tuesday morning someone still attempted to do so.

She says it’s the first time in over ten years of living at Windsor Court that she’s felt unsafe.

ABC 6 News reached out to the new owners of Windsor Court for comment on the disputes they’ve had with tenants and their future plans for the building, but they did not respond.