Tenants Sue Over Unsafe Housing and Rent Hike at Former Base
An 80-year-old tenant and his son are suing the Loring Development Authority and its property manager over hazardous conditions and an illegal rent
David Berry Sr., 80, and his son Jim Berry are suing the Loring Development Authority and J.A.K.S. Property Management over unsafe living conditions and an illegal rent increase at their Manser Drive apartment. The lawsuit, filed in Caribou District Court, highlights a pattern where tenants in the former military housing fear retaliation for reporting disrepair.
David Berry Sr. Has lived in the two-story, four-bedroom apartment for 20 years. The building, part of the Loring Commerce Centre on the shuttered Loring Air Force Base, shows significant decay. Rusty brown rings stain the ceilings, and mold grows in the basement, with one bloom nearly as wide as a washing machine. Water enters through cracked doors and windows, improperly installed plumbing, and a deteriorating foundation.
In March, the Berrys learned their rent would increase by $200 to a total of $1,300 each month by August. Jim Berry pushed back on the increase via texts to the property manager and later to the Loring Development Authority. He spoke at a public meeting of the authority's board of trustees on July 16. Five days after that meeting, the Berrys were given a no-cause eviction notice dated July 17 and issued by the property manager's attorney.
The lawsuit claims the property management company violates Maine law requiring dwellings to be fit for habitation and forbidding rent increases if violations exist. Matt Dyer, an attorney with Pine Tree Legal Assistance who is representing the Berrys, said the Manser Drive apartments are an option of last resort for many tenants. "A lot of tenants are afraid to complain because they don't want to get evicted, and that is just what is happening to Mr." Dyer said.
Management and Demolition Delays
Sheldon Corey Jr. Manages the apartments through J.A.K.S. Property Management. The company pays the Loring Development Authority a monthly fee to manage the 32 apartments currently rented out and is allowed to set rents as it pleases. J.A.K.S. Is responsible for keeping buildings up to code, and they are inspected yearly by a code enforcement officer retained by the authority. The authority paid J.A.K.S. $31,164 during fiscal year 2025 for campus-wide roads and grounds maintenance services and other duties.
Demolition of the aging complex has been delayed. The Loring Development Authority received $3.1 million in federal funds in 2021 to tear down dangerous structures and fix roads. Six apartment buildings were slated to be demolished in 2024, but that has not happened. Jonathan Judkins, president and CEO of the authority, said Loring is waiting on final approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection before soliciting bids. The base was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List of Superfund sites in 1990, and buildings require federal environmental review before demolition.
A Stark Contrast in Development
While tenants face deteriorating housing and threats of eviction, new investment flourishes nearby. A brand new $75 million potato chip facility across the street began supplying chips to retailers in July. This highlights the uneven redevelopment of the former base, where new industrial investment operates alongside condemned residential buildings marked with big red X's.
The Berrys' case hinges on proving the apartment presents health and safety risks and that they complained in good faith prior to the eviction notice. Jim Berry also expressed concern for other residents, stating, "You know, these places are all run-down, and there's kids running inside these buildings, and they're going to get hurt."
