Park View East residents do not have to move out

Residents of Park View East can stay in their current apartments, but it is costing them more to do so.

Mary Marin, a regional manager with Madrona Ridge Residential, said the ownership group changed its business plan and will no longer be completing major interior renovations.

“There may be minor upgrades to flooring, hardware and counters, depending upon the condition of each individual apartment,” Marin said, if residents decide to relocate.

Madrona Ridge Residential, a Seattle-based company, manages the 58-unit Park View East complex at 4290 Addy St., Washougal.

Park View East renters found out toward the end of September 2015 that the new owners planned to make significant improvements, that would require the units to be vacant as early as January 2016. Under that previous plan, additional notices of scheduled move-out dates were going to be provided 20 to 60 days in advance, to allow residents time to find new housing.

Park View East is now doing business as Parc East. Starting yesterday, residents are paying $75 more per month for water, sewer and trash service.

Marin said upgrades — including landscape improvements and exterior painting — are planned.

Four limited liability corporations, based in Beaverton, Oregon, purchased the apartments from Elizabeth Trainor, of Portland. The $3.9 million acquisition was made by STK Brugger, LLC; 4RT Brugger, LLC; SFT Brugger, LLC; and LPRP Brugger, LLC.

The Rev. Jessie Smith, vicar at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, in Washougal, was pleased to find out that Park View East residents were not receiving notices to vacate.

“I am sure this will not be the last sign of a housing crisis in our area but as we continue to build our networks and collaboration, we will be prepared to help those in need and address causes of homelessness,” she wrote in an email to local pastors, members of the Washougal City Council, and representatives from the Washougal School District, The Council for the Homeless and The Housing Resource Center.

In December 2015, Smith helped organize a housing forum for Park View East Apartments residents who were having difficulty relocating.

At that time, Marin said the first notices were going to be sent in January for residents to move out by Jan. 31. The renovations were going to be done in stages, with the first building receiving improvements in early February.

Marin had previously said current residents would be placed on a priority list to move into the renovated apartments, but the rental rates had not yet been established.