More than code violations being fixed at Summerset Village

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crews are busy fixing the exteriors of the two dozen buildings and the insides of the more than 200 apartments are being fixed up.

Eric Bayless of Commercial Design Builders is overseeing the work. "We are stuccoing throughout all the exterior of the units, we are roofing units that need it we are rehabbing the inside of the units weatherizing them, updating their wall heaters stoves."

The new Property manager Brad Hardie took us through the one of the units and highlighted some of the work that will be done in every unit. "What we are going to do in here is we are going to put new wood flooring, right here in the kitchen. This kitchen will also get a new countertop and new bottom cabinets."

Hardie was hired by the out of town building owner, after the city of Fresno declared a state of emergency to deal with the gas leaks and other problems affecting the more than one thousand residents of Summerset Village last November.

The health and safety issues in all the units have been fixed, and about 65 of the apartments have been rehabbed so far, and the residents, mostly southeast Asian refugees like Cathy Oh are more than pleased. "Oh feel so happy, very happy. Thank God for help us to get everything nice place to stay, so happy."

The problems Summerset Village forced the city to take a hard look at its code enforcement policies and City Manager Bruce Rudd told the city council on Thursday that things are changing. "I want to assure you that I am committed the Mayor is committed to making those wholesale changes so that we are far more effective than we have been in the past. But it may mean we are far more aggressive than we have been in the past."

The renovations at Summerset Village are expected to be completed in about a month at a cost of about one million dollars.