Vendors tell Channel 11 they are owed thousands of dollars by company that manages Homewood House

PITTSBURGH — Three vendors tell Channel 11 they are owed tens of thousands of dollars by the company that manages Homewood House, a senior affordable living high-rise in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood.

They contacted Channel 11 after a report on Monday about security contractor St. Moritz pulling its staff from the building on Friday due to a lack of payment, according to sources.

>> Security guards walk off the job at Homewood House

“They owe me more than 30,000,” said Michael Allen, the owner of New Earth Landscaping.

“They owe me $5,400,” added Robert Sparrow, the owner of Sparrow’s Plumbing.

“They won’t give me the money they owe me and it’s just unfair,” said Stephen Vandiver, owner of Neighborhood Landscaping and Hauling. “I’m in excess of $26,000.”

These vendors each claim they’re owed thousands of dollars by Lakeside Property Management, the company that manages Homewood House for owner NB Affordable, LLC.

Sparrow completed plumbing jobs at Homewood House, along with other Lakeside-managed properties across the area.

“If they owe you $5,000, they may send you $1,000. People just can’t live like that. You’ve got bills to pay,” Sparrow said.

Allen and Vandiver never worked at Homewood House, but each completed landscaping work for other Lakeside-managed properties, including Mon View Heights in West Mifflin.

“I’ve been fighting them for the last eight months for my money,” Allen said.

“I’ve called different supervisors they had, they hang up on you, they block your call. The only thing I want is my money. I did quality work for you, I just want decent pay,” Vandiver said.

After St. Moritz pulled its security guards from Homewood House on Friday, a new security team took over Monday.

“Bottom line, Lakeside doesn’t want to pay their bills. They don’t like to pay their bills,” said Bagumba Lowery, Homewood House’s Tenant Council President.

Lowery says conditions in the building are not as bad as some believe.

He doesn’t blame the local managers in the building for any issues.

Lowery says the problems are further up Lakeside’s corporate chain.

He’d like to see a different company take over the building.

“They don’t need to manage this property because they don’t know how to pay bills. If we had another person here that was taking it over, we’d be much better,” Lowery said.

Channel 11 reached out to owners NB Affordable, LCC and Lakeside Management for comment but has not heard back.

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