The Vermont Attorney General’s Office is suing a Burlington landlord for allegedly violating the state’s lead paint law and the state’s Consumer Protection Act.
According to a complaint filed in Washington Superior Court on Wednesday, Soon Kwon owns rental units on South Union Street, Colchester Avenue and South Willard Street in Burlington that were built before 1978.
Kwon has “repeatedly” violated the state’s public health laws that require landlords to regularly identify, clean and maintain deteriorated lead paint found in their rental properties, according to the complaint.
On March 31, 2014, according to the Attorney General’s Office, Kwon reached a settlement to resolve a prior dispute about lead paint on his properties, but later “filed false affidavits” saying he was following the settlement agreement.
The city of Burlington’s Code Enforcement Office then found paint chips on the property in August, and they were still there when the office inspected in September, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Under Vermont’s lead law, landlords also must file documents with the state’s Department of Health and notify tenants of the deteriorated lead paint by posting warnings “in a prominent place” in the building.
The Attorney General’s Office seeks orders of relief from the court saying Kwon violated the lead paint law and the state’s Consumer Protection Act. The state is also seeking civil fines of up to $20,000 per day for the alleged violations.
“It’s very important that landlords understand how important Vermont’s lead law is,” said Justin Kolber, the attorney who filed the complaint on behalf of Attorney General Bill Sorrell.
Will Towle, an attorney at the firm Ward and Babb in South Burlington, said Kwon has not been served with the paperwork. He called the properties “historic buildings in good repair,” and said Kwon has cooperated with the state about its concerns.
