Fight between Columbus food pantry, landlord heads to Franklin County court
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A lifeline for families in need is now in jeopardy. A local food pantry that's served the community for years is facing eviction, caught in a dispute with a landlord it says is trying to force it out.
"We have established families that have been here and this is the only source of help," Inprem Holistic Community Resource Center CEO, Alex Eric Abrokwa-Clottey, said.
The Inprem Holistic Community Resource Center, located on the north side of Columbus, is a place that's meant to feed the hungry, but court documents show it's in a fight for survival.
The fresh food pantry does not have any zip code restrictions for those seeking assistance. Just this year alone, it has distributed food to over 47,000 families across multiple states and 128 zip codes. It has operated from the Granville Centre Plaza for 10 years. New ownership acquired the shopping center in May.
"They did not negotiate with us and accepted the old lease," Abrokwa-Clottey said.
According to the shopping center's owner, the pantry's drive-thru system is illegal without a permit. This is something Abrokwa-Clottey said was never a problem with previous ownership.
"There is nothing in the lease that says we are not permitted to have a drive-thru," Abrokwa-Clottey said.
The complaint, filed in Franklin County Municipal Court, said the pantry is in violation of the lease, arguing that the “tenant has created a nuisance or unreasonable annoyance to landlord and the other tenants of the shopping center, including by loading and unloading at the front entrance, causing a traffic nuisance for other tenants.”
Abrokwa-Clottey said the pantry worked with the city to establish a traffic flow plan that works.
"We are not bringing it in front of the building to affect anything that is happening with other tenants," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "It's in the back of the building where there is nothing back there."
NBC4 reached out to the shopping center owner's attorney multiple times for comment but has yet to hear back.
"He has not given us the opportunity to even talk about the drive-thru and figure a way out, because that is the best possible way for us to serve the community," Abrokwa-Clottey said.
According to Abrokwa-Clottey, the owner has made numerous attempts to stop the pantry from operating.
"They have no grounds to tell us to leave," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "So, we filed a temporary restraining order on June 27 to prevent them from coming to change the locks."
The court complaint goes on to state the lease does not require the owner to give the food pantry a chance to fix any issues before starting the eviction process.
"We want to work with them because we worked with the previous owners and stayed here and rendered this service to the community for all these years," Abrokwa-Clottey said.
Abrokwa-Clottey said he feels his new landlord is trying to gain more money at the cost of people in need.
"He cannot increase our rate because we have a lease until 2028," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "So the only way to have this space rented for more is to get us out."
If evicted, the food pantry's options are limited based on the need assessment of central Ohio.
"We have to be within the I-71/270 corridor," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "And with all these budget cuts and all these financial situations going on in the government, the city, the county, we can't even afford to relocate from here to a new location within a year."
The eviction hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Franklin County Municipal Court. The food pantry will be seeking an extension to give it time to find legal representation. It has reached out to legal aid for help.