A $40 monthly parking fee has residents of Lindell Towers up in arms.

In early July 2002, Lindell management sent a letter to its tenants informing them that parking would be gated by August. There was no mention of charging the tenants in the letter.

In early August, the tenants were informed that parking would cost $40 per month, beginning on August 15. Residents who had signed their lease prior to August 15 complained. The complaints of the residents have gotten them nowhere, and at this point many residents have contacted the Missouri Attorney General’s office seeking help from the state.

Kathy Bresnahan, manager of Lindell Towers, said that, “Parking at Lindell Towers has always been inadequate. There is simply not enough parking in the back. We have 214 units in the Towers, and there just is not enough space.”

“Over the summer we installed new security gates and cameras. We also bought other buildings that have parking spaces of their own,” Bresnahan said. She noted that it was necessary for Lindell Towers to charge residents fees in order to pay for the increased security measures and parking capabilities.

“They have been given a break all these years because there was no change in parking. We are not making any money off of the charges; they are simply to pay for the increased security and area,” Bresnahan said.

Meaghan Wingard, a Lindell tenant, is furious over the proposed parking charge.

“They told us after we had signed our lease that there was going to be a parking charge. Believe it or not, it is now cheaper to park on Saint Louis University’s lots than it is to park behind Lindell,” Wingard said.

When asked about her contract, Wingard said that there was no clause whatsoever about a parking charge in her lease agreement.

This is the one area where the tenants and landlords agree.

“There is no clause in the lease agreements about parking because the parking was previously inadequate and was not an issue,” Bresnahan said.

According to the “Know Your Rights” handout from the Missouri Attorney General: “If you decide to sign and lease changes are made, the landlord and tenant both should put their initials by the written changes to show agreement.”

“When my roommate took our complaint to the building manager, she was told that ‘It’s not me, it’s the owners,'” Wingard said.

Despite numerous confrontations such as this, little headway has been made between the tenants and management.

Subsequently, the residents of Lindell Towers have begun to file complaints with the Missouri Attorney General’s office. For more information go to www.ago.state.mo.us.