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The city's Board of Health voted on Thursday, Aug. 29, to condemn the Water's Edge Apartments at 364 Ocean Avenue, forcing out dozens of residents. The building's owners must find those displaced similar living arrangements for the remainder of their leases.
Revere Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. applauded the move, saying the building was not suitable for people to live in.
"I am grateful for the careful consideration they have given to this matter," he said on Friday. "After two years of attempts to work with this property owner to make the necessary improvements and ensure the safety of this building, it has become very clear that they have no intention to do so. Enough is enough."
Revere's Attorney Paul Tellier told the board that the building is "rat-infested" and full of mold during the meeting. The building's owner denied those allegations.
Officials were first alerted to problems with the building following a flood in November 2022 that damaged a fire panel. City leaders said the building owners never repaired it, and fire officials worried about residents' safety if a fire broke out.
However, an attorney for the building told the board the repairs had already been made.
Mayor Keefe promised residents that the city would help residents relocate.
The residents of 364 Ocean Avenue have asked for a thoughtful approach to this condemnation, and we will do just that, allowing for the proper time to support careful relocation. We will not turn our backs on these residents. Our team and advocates have been on the ground for the past month, working to provide the necessary assistance and resources to those affected.
It's unclear how long they will have to move out of the property.
The city's allegations match many online reviews for the Water's Edge. The apartments received mostly 1-star reviews on multiple sites.
"Worst experience ever," one reviewer wrote on Google Reviews. "Trash everywhere, laundry machine broken, rats (crawling) between the ceiling, cockroaches, homeless sleeping in the lobby, stolen packages, horrible assistance, management office closed, no phone answers, harassing staff who are supposed to do maintenance and cleaning."
Others posted that thefts in the building were common, and they often had to hike up multiple sets of stairs because the elevators rarely worked.
Online listings said apartments at the Water's Edge began at $2,300 a month.
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