Our story

The short version of our story: This summer, the Lockhaven Apartments were sold to the Pinnacle Family of Companies. Shortly thereafter, construction on the siding of some buildings started. This construction has been done in a shoddy and unsightly fashion by a no-name contractor. Walls of some buildings have been ripped off and left hanging in strips for weeks at a time, and garbage and equipment has been left strewn about the grounds.

20-day vacate notices were then issued to the tenants of three buildings (all the tenants of one building, and half the tenants of two others). That's right: With no warning, these people were given less than three weeks to get themselves and all their belongings out. A complete lack of empathy added to the stress of this situation. When asked about it, Lockhaven management freely admitted that the plan is to displace ALL residents, renovate the units, and raise rents by as much as double. But it turns out that those initial 20-day vacate notices were blatantly illegal, and the new owners were compelled to rescind them. The plan to evict all of us is apparently still intact.

The Lockhaven is home to many elderly residents who have lived here for decades, cultivating gardens and friendships. This is their home. The Lockhaven is the last bastion of affordable housing in Ballard for them, and for all of us. What Pinnacle has planned is nothing less than the destruction of a community. 

But a group has formed. This group. The Lockhaven Tenants Union. We will share information, address legal concerns, and provide help to those who need it. We have power when we stick together.

This is the short version. Details, documents, and resistance to follow.