Springfield, MA – City Countersues Landlord

Springfield, MA – The city filed a countersuit against the manager of the vacant Longhill Gardens Condominiums, saying he should be required to reimburse the city approximately $80,000 for the costs of relocating tenants and securing the troubled property.

The counterclaim follows a federal lawsuit filed by the property manager, Shalom Segelman of Waterbury, Conn. accusing city officials of malicious prosecution and of violating his religious rights.

Segelman accused city officials of moving forward with a Housing Court hearing on a Jewish holiday, saying he was unable to attend as "an observant Orthodox Jew." He was subsequently jailed for contempt of court at the Hampden County House of Corrections, a facility where kosher food was not served, he said. His lawyer was able to arrange for the meals, his suit states.

The city claimed Segelman failed to correct "severe common area code violations which materially impaired the health and safety of the residents…" [The Republican]