Hotis Motel landlord wants rent; tenants report water, trash, sewer problems

TOWN OF PAMELIA, New York (WWNY) - Things are far from perfect at the Hotis Motel in the town of Pamelia and, in fact, it’s worse for some residents who tell us about sewer problems. Despite all the problems, the landlord is still looking for this month’s rent.

It might be a new month, but for residents of the Hotis Motel, it’s the same old problems.

“Not everybody’s water is turned on that I’ve heard. So they’re still without; there’s a few on and a few not,” said Tammy Higby, Hotis resident.

Add to the water issues, trash isn’t getting picked up and now Higby says “the sewers are blocked up.”

It’s a problem that former property manager Walt Van Tassel says likely will not be fixed anytime soon.

“He’s gotta get somebody in here to do it. Last I heard, they wanted to get paid. For some reason when somebody doesn’t work they want to get paid for it,” he said.

Van Tassel is referring to the Empire Assets Growth LP ownership group. Van Tassel says he stopped working for the group because he says it owes him thousands of dollars in back pay. However, he’s there because he still cares about the people in the motel.

Residents say their only contact with the owners has been a call looking for March’s rent.

“He said, ‘Well I can send up my two rent collectors to collect that from you.’ Then he was calling other tenants as well. I know one lady said that she got a call from him,” said Higby.

Contact between Van Tassel and ownership has been minimal. Van Tassel says ownership is looking for rent payments so repairs can be made.

Town Supervisor Scott Allen says he spoke with the owners, and that repairs are being made at the motel. However, if those repairs stop, Allen has not ruled anything out, forcing the town to take action, which could be condemning the property.

“There are several violations here, nothing serious. No, no, there is no reason to condemn it,” said Van Tassel.

We reached out again to ownership for comment. We did not receive an answer.

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