Ohio landlord jailed after rental properties found infested with roaches, rodents

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKRC) — An Ohio landlord was jailed after his rental properties were found to be "unsafe for human habitation," reports noted.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, Joseph Alaura, a landlord in Columbus, was sentenced to 175 days behind bars after the city discovered multiple violations at his 32 properties. Per the publication, authorities found several properties were infested with roaches and rodents, as well as some that lacked gas, electricity or heat.

Citing court records, The Dispatch reported that Alaura was on probation due to a case from 2018 and had been ordered to maintain sanitary living conditions for his tenants after he repeatedly failed to repair a duplex, which had been damaged due to a fire.

The Dispatch obtained a news release from Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, who said that Columbus' code enforcement division had discovered significant violations during an inspection in March and deemed the duplex was "unsafe for human habitation." An investigation found violations at 17 other properties owned by Alaura, with two of those prosperities deemed unfit for human habitation.

Per the publication, one property was cited for 16 violations, which included the following:

• No electricity
• No gas
• No heat
• Leaking sewage lines
• Leaking sinks
• Roach infestation
• Other unspecified parts of the property in disrepair

The Dispatch, citing information from the Columbus Building and Zoning Department, reported that the property had been cited for 53 violations over the course of five years.

Officials also found inoperable sinks, a rat infestation, no heat and extension cords throughout a separate property, per the publication, which reported that several other properties had no running water, broken windows, plumbing issues and rodent infestations.

“Once a problem landlord is on our radar, we will stop at nothing to hold them accountable to tenants and the City,” Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said the release obtained by The Dispatch. “In this case, the defendant continues to defy court orders and subject vulnerable residents to deplorable living conditions. That kind of brazen disregard for people and the law is unacceptable and the reason why we’re taking these aggressive punitive measures.”

It was the third time Alaura has been jailed for problems related to his properties, per the publication.