Greenway Apartments. Google Streetview
Bring Me The News
By Grace Deng
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Tuesday that his office has opened a civil investigation into Investment Property Group UT (IPG) for allegedly illegal evictions at its Greenway Apartments complex in South Minneapolis.
IPG is accused of collecting illegal utility charges and evicting tenants, who are largely Somali, because of failure to pay those charges – some of which totaled more than $2,000, according to a press release from Ellison’s office.
The investigation comes after Isuroon, a local grassroots group advocating for Somali women and girls, reported IPG and Greenway Apartments to the state last week.
IPG has filed more than 30 eviction actions since February this year, Ellison’s office says.
After the Attorney General’s Office contacted IPG, the company said it will not remove any Greenway Apartments tenants while the investigation is pending, even if the court issues a writ of recovery. Minnesota law does not protect tenants during an eviction case if a writ of recovery is served.
“Keeping people and communities safely housed takes information and action, so I encourage anyone with concerns about these businesses to come forward,” Ellison said in the release.
Ellison will also investigate if the eviction filings are racially motivated, which the Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits.
Bring Me The News attempted to contact IPG and Greenway Apartments on Tuesday.
The Attorney General’s Office encourages Greenway Apartments tenants who need legal services, advice about utility bills or other supportive services to contact Isuroon. The group can be reached at (763) 353-9313, by email at legal@isuroon.org, or in-person at 1600 East Lake Street, Suite 1, in Minneapolis, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Anyone with information about Greenway Apartments or other IPG locations can reach the Attorney General’s Office by calling (651) 296-3353 or by filling out a tenant report form online in English, Spanish, or Somali.