Attorney General's News Release

March 16, 2001

Nixon obtains TRO to stop St. Louis landlords from renting condemned property; order freezes their assets

St. Louis, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today obtained a temporary restraining order to stop a St. Louis business and five local men connected with the business from renting residential properties that have been condemned or do not have the required occupancy permits. The order, signed by St. Louis City Circuit Judge Robert H. Dierker Jr., also freezes any assets the defendants obtained in connection with renting the condemned property.

Nixon said the individual defendants and their business — Urban Realty Investments Inc., located at 4064 S. Grand — are renting the properties without telling tenants that the city of St. Louis had condemned the buildings or that there were no occupancy permits for the properties. Investigations by the Attorney General's Office and the St. Louis City Police Department determined that at least one tenant who discovered her home was condemned was told she had to pay the rent regardless of the condemnation.

The defendants, who do not have a business license from the city, also are violating state consumer protection laws by failing to make promised repairs to the buildings before the tenants move in.

"These landlords are not complying with the law and are concealing dangerous living conditions to the people who are paying them rent," Nixon said. "This is unconscionable and needs to be stopped."

The other defendants besides Urban Realty are Urban Realty president David H. Steinmeyer, of Chesterfield; Urban Realty vice-president Vincent DeBlaze, of Chesterfield; Marcus S. Mayer (also known as Mark Mayer), of St. Louis; James Dawson, of St. Louis; and Malcolm Aldrich (also known as Malcolm Steinmeyer, David Steinmeyer, Willie Price, Malcolm Mayer, Mark Mayer Sr. and Malcolm Couch), of St. Louis.

The TRO prevents the defendants from disposing of any assets they obtained through the rental of the condemned property. They also cannot offer to rent or rent properties that are condemned or do not have the required occupancy permits, or rent any real estate without obtaining the licenses required by the city of St. Louis.

Nixon also is asking the court to issue preliminary and permanent injunctions against the defendants to stop them from future violations of the law. A hearing date on the injunction request is set for March 28.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818