Latest Update: As of July 12, 2026, the most recent development we could confirm in the Heritage Place case is still from spring 2025: Judge Bruzzese continued the receivership hearing to June 16, 2025, after warning ownership representatives “you can’t run a business like this.” We could not confirm a public outcome from that hearing or any further case update since then. By that point, management had shifted from ABC Management to MMS Group, while the underlying ownership — WG Heritage Place Ohio under Green National — remained unchanged.
Last updated: July 2026
The Steubenville Heritage Place lawsuit centers on residents left without heat during sub-zero temperatures, forced to use space heaters and cooking ovens to stay warm. This case is about a 100-unit affordable housing complex in downtown Steubenville, Ohio, where tenants say their landlord ignored months of warnings and let the building fall into dangerous disrepair.
The tenants are represented by Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio, and the defendants are the property’s ownership company and management firm. The case has drawn strong words from the presiding judge and national attention from housing advocates.
This guide covers everything: who the players are, what the court has ordered, the full timeline, and what current residents can do about their situation.
One fact sets the stage: heat was out in a total of 64 units due to boiler failure, many of them home to elderly, disabled, and low-income tenants who had nowhere else to go.
What Is the Steubenville Heritage Place Lawsuit About?
The Steubenville Heritage Place lawsuit alleges that the owners and management company of Heritage Place failed to meet statutory requirements meant to ensure rental properties are habitable and safe for tenants, and breached their duty to maintain the property and their contracts with tenants.
The case began with a heating crisis. The suit claims owners Green National and WG Heritage Place OH and their management company, Beechwood-based ABC Management, were made aware as early as October that boilers serving the complex were failing. Despite that knowledge, they did not fix the problem before winter set in.
Residents had been “forced to use alternative heating sources to stay warm, including the use of space heaters and even their ovens.” Those alternative heat sources were described as “insufficient, cause increased utility expenses, and are outright dangerous.”
Over time, the problems grew well beyond heat. Tenants reported water, electric and gas service was shut off multiple times because the owners and their management company failed to pay vendors. One tenant said utilities had been cut off on at least seven occasions in 18 months.
| Core Allegations | Details |
|---|---|
| No heat since | Early December 2024 |
| Buildings affected | At least 2 of 4 buildings, up to 64 units |
| Management aware since | October 2024 |
| Other utility shutoffs | Water, gas, electricity, trash |
| Court filed | January 2025, Jefferson County Common Pleas |
What Is the Heritage Place Heating Crisis?
It became a full-blown crisis in the first week of December, when tenants started reporting they had no heat in their apartments. They had only small space heaters and cooking ovens to get through temperatures that dropped into sub-zero wind chills.
Heat was out in all 32 units in one Heritage Place building, and about half the tenants in another building with 40 apartments also reported they had no heat. Many of the affected tenants are elderly or have health conditions, including a paraplegic and individuals who are on oxygen. Children were also living in affected units.
The boiler problem wasn’t a sudden surprise. Tenants had reported being without heat since at least the beginning of December, and management ordered replacement parts, only to discover they’d ordered the wrong parts.
One resident said: “I use my heater and my oven and sleep in the living room. I have to shut my bedroom door in order to get a little heat.” Another said breakers kept blowing, so residents couldn’t even run a single heater reliably.
The boiler was so outdated that a replacement part had to be custom-built and shipped to Steubenville. That process took more than two months while residents shivered.
Key Takeaway: Heritage Place’s heating crisis left dozens of elderly, disabled, and low-income tenants without heat during sub-zero temperatures, with management having known about the boiler failures since October 2024.
Who Are the Defendants in the Heritage Place Lawsuit?
Three entities are named as defendants in the Heritage Place lawsuit: the property’s titled owner, its corporate parent, and its management company.
Heritage Place’s titled owner is WG Heritage Place Ohio, which is wholly owned by Green National. WG Heritage Place/Green National purchased the property three years ago for $3.7 million.
ABC Management, part of the Abel-Bishop and Clark Realty Co., based in Beechwood, was also named as a defendant. ABC Management was responsible for day-to-day operations at the complex. ABC Management was later replaced by MMS Group, with Kelly Zadansky serving as on-site manager.
| Defendant | Role | Address |
|---|---|---|
| WG Heritage Place Ohio | Titled property owner | Skaneateles, N.Y. P.O. Box |
| Green National | Parent company, full owner of WG Heritage | Same P.O. Box |
| ABC Management | Former day-to-day property manager | Beechwood, Ohio |
| MMS Group | Replacement management company | On-site |
Because of procedural service issues early in the case, both Green National and WG Heritage Place OH were slow to be served, which initially stalled the case.
Green National’s Affordable Housing Violations: A Pattern
Green National’s problems in Steubenville are not an isolated incident. The company has a documented history of housing violations across multiple states.
Green National came under fire in recent years for conditions at buildings it owns in Canton as well as Syracuse, N.Y., where the company ended up selling its holdings after New York’s attorney general secured a court order banning owner Troy Green from owning, operating or managing affordable housing properties anywhere in that state.
That ban in New York didn’t slow things down elsewhere. The Canton Repository reported that federal housing officials moved tenants of Green National-owned Victory Square Apartments to hotels and other housing options due to alleged health and safety violations there.
The emergency motion filed in Steubenville specifically pointed to this pattern, noting that one Green National property in Canton “was completely shuttered last year” and another in Warren was also under scrutiny for failing to maintain the complex and disregarding safety issues after a fire.
This is the housing equivalent of a serial bad actor. Different city, same playbook.
Heritage Place Boiler Failure and Unlivable Conditions
A boiler issue left dozens of residents at Heritage Place apartments without piped-in heat for more than six weeks, forcing affected tenants to rely on one-room space heaters to keep warm.
The boiler situation was made worse by management’s own missteps. Residents learned Heritage Place elected to order the replacement parts itself only to find out they’d ordered the wrong parts. Then the correct part had to be custom-built and shipped from overseas.
Even after the part finally arrived, problems continued. While Heritage Place reported the boiler part was finally replaced, six months after it stopped working, attorneys said they couldn’t fire the heat up to verify it because the heating system was turned off.
A second separate lawsuit emerged from the same crisis. A young mother, Angelica Kiersey, filed a lawsuit after six pipes burst in her townhouse unit over three weeks. Her apartment had no heat from the time she moved in in October. With a 1-year-old and pregnant with her second child, she said her apartment flooded repeatedly as frozen pipes thawed out.
Key Takeaway: The boiler failure at Heritage Place was known about for months before winter, took more than six months to repair, and directly caused a second separate lawsuit from another affected tenant.
Heritage Place Utility Shutoffs and Unpaid Bills
Beyond the heat, Heritage Place residents endured repeated utility shutoffs because the ownership simply wasn’t paying its bills.
Tenants reported that water, electric and gas service had been shut off multiple times because the owners and their management company failed to pay vendors. One tenant told attorneys the utilities had been shut off on at least seven occasions over the past 18 months.
Gas as well as electrical service in the parking lot and hallways were cut for several days because the bills weren’t paid. Residents said water and trash services were also suspended for the same reason in the past.
The ownership was also behind on its tax obligations. Based on county records, it appeared WG Heritage Place missed the January deadline to pay its real property taxes for the first half of 2024.
Heritage Place’s ownership receives low-income tax credits and federal subsidies. The irony is stark: the owners were accepting public money while failing to pay the utility bills those same public subsidies were designed to help support.
| Utility/Bill Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Gas service shutoffs | Multiple times, non-payment |
| Electricity shutoffs | Hallways and parking lot cut |
| Water service shutoffs | Multiple times |
| Trash collection suspended | Non-payment |
| Real property taxes | Missed January 2024 deadline |
| Federal subsidies received | Yes, LIHTC credits |
Who Filed the Heritage Place Lawsuit?
The lawsuit was filed by Pam Bolton, an attorney with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio. Legal Aid is a nonprofit that provides free legal services to low-income residents, and its Steubenville office has been the driving force behind this case from the start.
The four original named plaintiffs are Stephanie Williams, Wendy Mottle, Brenda Smith, and Ronald Mitchell. Each of them is a Heritage Place tenant who agreed to put their names on the public record to force action.
As the case proceeded, about 12 more tenants joined the suit, making the plaintiff group larger as more residents came forward to describe similar conditions.
Attorney Bolton and her colleagues at Legal Aid, including Kristen Lewis and Alex Vance, have represented the tenants through every hearing. They’ve pushed for injunctive relief, contempt proceedings, and ultimately a receivership. Their work has kept the case alive even when procedural obstacles threatened to delay it.
Key Takeaway: Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio filed the Heritage Place lawsuit on behalf of low-income tenants, with four original named plaintiffs and at least 12 more who later joined.
Jefferson County Court: The Heritage Place Case
The case was filed in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court and has been presided over by Judge Joseph Bruzzese. His handling of the case has been notably direct.
Judge Bruzzese warned the property manager: “I’m done with things breaking because you have junk in the building. It might be time to replace the junk — this has happened too many times.”
He told representatives of the complex: “You can’t run a business like this.”
In January 2025, Judge Bruzzese issued an order finding that the named plaintiffs “are at risk of immediate and irreparable injury through the lack of heating in their apartments at Heritage Place,” and directing residents impacted by the boiler issues to deposit their rent checks with the court.
His early temporary restraining order gave the defendants five days to restore heat and required Heritage Place to rehouse affected residents in fully-furnished apartments or hotels, with food costs included for hotel stays. Those terms were not fully honored.
The judge also required that Heritage Place forward copies of all utility bills and proof of payment directly to Legal Aid attorneys, allowing real-time monitoring of whether bills were actually being paid.
Heritage Place Receivership Motion Explained
A receivership is one of the most significant tools in a tenant lawsuit. It means the court takes control away from the owner and hands management to an independent third party.
Legal Aid’s Pam Bolton filed an emergency motion asking Judge Bruzzese to appoint Dublin-based Intercept Management Corp. as receiver to ensure bills are paid and the property is properly maintained.
Attorney Kristen Lewis explained: “If the court grants our motion, a receiver would be appointed to be in charge of the funds and make sure the bills are all paid and the property is maintained.”
The motion argued that tenants “have been affected by continuous neglect by the defendants in managing and maintaining the property, despite the court’s involvement.”
Judge Bruzzese continued the receivership hearing until June 16, 2025, saying he would await news of the next problem that arose. “You can’t run a business like this,” he told the defense side.
Think of a receiver as a court-appointed adult supervisor for a landlord who keeps failing the basic test of running a building. The owner technically keeps their property, but someone else makes the decisions until the court is satisfied things are in order.
Key Takeaway: Legal Aid filed for a court-appointed receiver after Green National continued to miss payments and fail repairs even with active court oversight, with a receivership hearing scheduled for June 16, 2025.
Ohio Tenant Habitability Law and Heritage Place
Ohio law requires every landlord to provide tenants with a habitable home. Heritage Place’s conditions appear to violate those requirements directly.
Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, Ohio landlords must:
- Maintain the dwelling in a fit and habitable condition
- Keep all common areas in a safe and sanitary condition
- Supply heating, water, and electricity at all times
- Make all repairs necessary to keep the unit safe and healthy
The lawsuit states that Heritage Place failed to meet statutory requirements meant to ensure rental properties are habitable and safe for tenants, and claims the defendants breached their duty to maintain the property and their contracts with tenants.
When a landlord fails Ohio’s habitability standards, tenants have several legal options. These include asking the court to order repairs, requesting rent escrow (where rent is deposited with the court rather than the landlord), and seeking damages for harm caused by uninhabitable conditions.
Judge Bruzzese directed residents impacted by the boiler issues to deposit their rent checks with the court, which is exactly the kind of escrow mechanism Ohio law contemplates for situations like this.
Heritage Place Lawsuit Timeline 2025
The Heritage Place case has moved through multiple stages since late 2024. Here is the full timeline of key events.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 2024 | Management allegedly notified that boilers were failing |
| Early December 2024 | Residents report total loss of heat in multiple buildings |
| January 2025 | Lawsuit filed in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court |
| January 17, 2025 | Temporary restraining order issued by Judge Bruzzese |
| January 23, 2025 | Preliminary hearing postponed due to service issues |
| January 29, 2025 | Second lawsuit filed by tenant Angelica Kiersey |
| February 7, 2025 | Case hearing date; closed-door session; upgraded heaters distributed |
| February 13, 2025 | Boiler repair part expected to arrive; still delayed |
| February 21, 2025 | Residents still without heat; boiler supplier demands upfront payment |
| May 2025 | Utility shutoffs resume; Legal Aid files for receivership |
| May 16, 2025 | Gas and electricity restored after latest shutoff |
| May 19-20, 2025 | Emergency receivership motion filed |
| May 22, 2025 | Judge warns ownership: “You can’t run a business like this” |
| June 16, 2025 | Receivership hearing scheduled |
The case remained active as of mid-2025 with no final resolution reached.
Heritage Place Lawsuit Latest Update 2025
As of late May 2025, the latest development was Judge Bruzzese continuing the receivership hearing until June 16, 2025, after warning ownership representatives that the pattern of failures was unacceptable.
The judge told the new property manager, who broke down in tears during the hearing: “If your lack of manpower causes a problem, I don’t want these people to suffer because your boss is too cheap to give you the help you need.”
Bruzzese also ordered that Heritage Place forward all utility bills and proof of payment to Legal Aid attorneys the moment they were received or paid, requiring ongoing financial transparency.
By this point, management had changed hands from ABC Management to MMS Group. But the core ownership structure, WG Heritage Place Ohio under Green National, remained the same.
The receivership motion was still pending. A court granting that motion would represent a significant escalation, stripping operational control from the current ownership and handing it to an independent court-supervised company.
What Tenants at Heritage Place Can Do
If you live at Heritage Place or know someone who does, there are concrete steps to take right now.
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio has been representing Heritage Place tenants since the beginning of the case. Tenants looking for assistance should contact their Steubenville office.
Under Ohio law, tenants facing habitability issues have several documented rights:
- Rent escrow: Ask the court to hold your rent payments until conditions are fixed.
- Repair and deduct: In some circumstances, Ohio law allows tenants to arrange repairs and deduct the cost from rent.
- Terminate the lease: Tenants may have grounds to break their lease without penalty if the landlord has materially failed to maintain habitability.
- Seek damages: Courts can award compensation for harm caused by uninhabitable conditions, including costs of alternative heating and hotel stays.
During the heating crisis, residents needing immediate assistance were advised to call (740) 278-3303 for on-call help.
Document everything. Take photos of conditions, keep records of complaints made to management, and save any written communications. That documentation matters in court.
Key Takeaway: Heritage Place tenants have legal rights under Ohio law and should contact Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio immediately if their unit fails habitability standards.
Green National Properties in Other States
Steubenville is not where Green National’s problems began. By the time this case landed in Jefferson County, the company had already been forced out of two other markets.
In New York, the company ended up selling its holdings after the state attorney general secured a court order banning owner Troy Green from owning, operating or managing affordable housing properties anywhere in that state. The last of Green National’s New York properties sold in September 2023.
In Canton, Ohio, federal housing officials moved tenants of Green National-owned Victory Square Apartments to hotels and other housing options due to alleged health and safety violations. That property was completely shuttered.
In Warren, Ohio, another Green National property was under scrutiny for failing to maintain the complex and disregarding safety issues after a fire.
This pattern matters because it speaks to whether Heritage Place’s problems are the result of isolated local mismanagement or a systemic approach to affordable housing. Legal Aid’s court filings argued the latter directly.
Troy Green’s properties share a common post office box in Skaneateles, New York, and a common pattern: federal subsidies in, minimal maintenance out.
Heritage Place Lawsuit: What Happens Next
The most likely next developments in the Heritage Place lawsuit center on the receivership motion and ongoing compliance monitoring.
If Judge Bruzzese grants the receivership, Intercept Management Corp. would take operational control of Heritage Place. It would manage finances, pay vendors, arrange repairs, and report to the court. Green National would retain ownership in name but lose day-to-day control.
If the receivership is denied, the case continues with Legal Aid pushing for contempt sanctions, damages, and continued judicial oversight over every bill payment.
The goal articulated by Legal Aid throughout the case has been consistent: not to shut the complex down, but to make it safe. “There is not enough affordable housing in Steubenville, and it is going to have a serious effect on these folks if they lose this housing. We just want to make it safe and stable.”
Potential outcomes for residents include:
- Court-ordered comprehensive repairs paid by the owner
- Compensation for damages suffered during the heating and utility crises
- Permanent change of management under court supervision
- In a worst case, relocation assistance if the complex is deemed irreparable
The case sets a precedent for how Ohio courts handle landlords who accept federal housing subsidies and then fail to deliver basic livable conditions in return.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Steubenville Heritage Place lawsuit about?
The Steubenville Heritage Place lawsuit alleges that the owners and management company violated statutory requirements meant to ensure rental properties are habitable and safe for tenants.
Tenants were left without heat during sub-zero winter temperatures starting in December 2024, and later faced repeated utility shutoffs due to unpaid bills.
The case is being handled in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court before Judge Joseph Bruzzese.
Who owns Heritage Place in Steubenville?
Heritage Place’s titled owner is WG Heritage Place Ohio, which is wholly owned by Green National.
Green National purchased the property three years ago for $3.7 million.
The company’s owner, Troy Green, was previously banned by New York’s attorney general from owning or managing affordable housing in that state.
What did the judge order in the Heritage Place case?
Judge Bruzzese issued a temporary restraining order finding that residents “are at risk of immediate and irreparable injury” and directed affected tenants to deposit rent with the court.
He also ordered Heritage Place to rehouse affected residents in fully-furnished apartments or hotels at the owner’s expense until heat was restored.
The judge later required Heritage Place to provide Legal Aid attorneys with copies of all utility bills and proof of payment in real time.
What is a receivership and why did tenants request one?
A receivership means a court removes day-to-day control from the property owner and hands it to an independent court-supervised manager.
Tenants’ attorneys filed for receivership because residents “have been affected by continuous neglect by the defendants in managing and maintaining the property, despite the court’s involvement.”
The proposed receiver is Dublin-based Intercept Management Corp., which would be responsible for paying all bills and maintaining the property under court oversight.
What can Heritage Place residents do if their apartment is still unlivable?
Residents should contact Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio, which has represented Heritage Place tenants throughout this case at no cost to them.
Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, tenants have the right to request rent escrow, seek court-ordered repairs, and pursue damages for harm caused by uninhabitable conditions.
Document all problems with photos, written complaints to management, and records of any utility outages or repair failures.
The Stakes Are Real for Real People
The Steubenville Heritage Place lawsuit is about more than cold apartments. It’s about whether affordable housing landlords who take public money can simply ignore the people who depend on them.
Heritage Place’s owners receive low-income tax credits and federal subsidies. The tenants living there had every right to expect heat, water, and safe conditions in return. What they got instead was a multi-month ordeal.
If you or someone you know lives at Heritage Place, contact Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio now. Document your conditions. Know your rights under Ohio law. This case is still active, and the outcome will affect every resident in that building.
