In re Clark

Five former tenants (plaintiffs) of a 24-unit Philadelphia apartment building owned by Clark (defendant), a bankruptcy debtor, described years of severe disrepair including crumbling, hole-filled walls, mice infestations, flooding and nonfunctional toilets, collapsing ceilings from leaks, warped floors, broken sinks, unusable kitchens, lead paint, and no heat or hot water since 1987; the tenants resorted to dangerous electric and kerosene heaters and gas stoves for warmth and had to send their young children to live with relatives during winter. The tenants sued for damages from these conditions.

Whether tenants can receive damages from landlords for egregious living conditions.