The Ardent Communities lawsuit that has drawn the most attention is not one filed against the Westerville, Ohio property manager itself but one it helped bring: a federal Fair Housing Act case by Seattle House LLC, a 240-unit apartment complex Ardent manages, against the City of Delaware, Ohio. That case settled in 2024 for $515,000. Separately, Ardent has accumulated dozens of tenant complaints over move-out charges, lease buyouts, and maintenance, though the company has not been named as a defendant in the City of Columbus’s recent large public nuisance actions.
The Seattle House Housing Discrimination Case
Seattle House LLC, developed by Metro Development and managed by Ardent, filed a class-action lawsuit in 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against the City of Delaware. The complaint alleged that the city’s water and sewer tap-in fees violated the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 by creating barriers to affordable multifamily housing and protecting what the suit called a “nearly all-white status quo.”1The Columbus Dispatch. Apartment Complex Accuses Delaware of Housing Discrimination
Seattle House had paid roughly $1.9 million in sewer and water tap-in fees. According to the suit, the city calculated those fees on an estimated water usage of 300 gallons per day per two-bedroom apartment, while the city’s own 2008 study showed actual usage closer to 94 gallons. The plaintiff’s independent investigation concluded the fees should have been about one-third of what was charged. The city denied the claims as “baseless.”1The Columbus Dispatch. Apartment Complex Accuses Delaware of Housing Discrimination
Settlement Terms
The City of Delaware and Seattle House announced their agreement on April 30, 2024. Delaware agreed to pay $515,000 without admitting liability, with $165,000 coming from city water and wastewater capacity fee funds and $350,000 from the city’s insurance.2Delaware Gazette. City of Delaware, Seattle House Reach Agreement
The deal also looked forward. The city and developer agreed to a three-year development period in which the city would make good-faith efforts to approve a new 360-unit multifamily project by Seattle House. Capacity fees for that future project were capped at $522,000, and the city committed to pursuing a 10-year, 70% community reinvestment area tax abatement for each building. The agreement was signed by City Manager Tom Homan and Seattle House LLC President Rowland (Tre’) Giller III.3City of Delaware. City of Delaware and Seattle House Reach Agreement
Tenant Complaints Against Ardent
Ardent Property Management’s Better Business Bureau profile shows 36 complaints filed in the three years preceding the most recent records, with 20 closed within the last 12 months. Service or repair issues led the list at 15 complaints, followed by 7 billing complaints and 4 customer service complaints. Of the 36, only 6 were marked resolved to the tenant’s satisfaction. The remaining 30 were classified as “answered,” meaning the company responded but the tenant either did not accept the response or did not follow up.4BBB. Ardent Property Management Inc Complaints
Two patterns dominate. Move-out charges are the most contentious: tenants have reported bills hundreds or thousands of dollars above their security deposits for carpet replacement, painting, and cleaning that they say amount to normal wear and tear, and some have said the company refused to provide invoices or photos to substantiate the charges. At Fieldstone Trace in the Columbus area, one resident reported move-out charges of $4,200, including line items for light bulbs and door stops.5Apartment Ratings. Fieldstone Trace Reviews
Lease buyouts are the second recurring grievance. Tenants report unexpected fees, difficulty reaching the buyout department, and conflicting information from leasing staff about early termination penalties. One tenant reported a buyout balance of $4,453, which included a $2,500 buyout fee plus a “promotional payback” charge.4BBB. Ardent Property Management Inc Complaints
In its BBB responses, Ardent has pointed consistently to the terms of signed lease agreements and addendums. The company has described lease buyouts as “a courtesy, not a requirement” and stated that tenants store personal property at their own risk.4BBB. Ardent Property Management Inc Complaints Maintenance grievances reported at Fieldstone Trace have included pest problems, roof and garage leaks, and high utility bills that tenants attributed to poor insulation.5Apartment Ratings. Fieldstone Trace Reviews
What Ardent Is Not a Defendant In
Ardent Communities has not been named in the City of Columbus’s largest recent public nuisance lawsuits. The September 2018 action against AMG Realty Group over 802 units at Mayfair Apartments, Hartford on the Lake, and Fitzroy Apartments, which settled in December 2018 with a $50,000 fine and a court-monitored compliance plan, did not involve Ardent.6The Columbus Dispatch. Columbus Settles Record Nuisance Suit Neither did the January 2025 Columbus lawsuit against the owners of Life at Edgewater Landing, a 724-unit complex owned by Olive Tree Holdings and managed by Asset Living, over boiler failures that left 49 units without heat during freezing temperatures.7Columbus Underground. City Sues Private Equity Firm After Lack of Heat Forced Evacuations From Apartments
Company Background
Ardent Property Management, Inc. was incorporated in April 2005 and began operating in 2006. Donald Kenney, who also leads Donald R. Kenney & Company, is listed as the owner, and Sidney Noblitt serves as president.8BBB. Ardent Property Management Inc Business Profile The company operates under names including Ardent Communities and Ardent Condos and manages more than 3,500 units across 13 apartment communities and over 300 condos and single-family homes in the Columbus metropolitan area, including Fieldstone Trace, Woodfield Park, Nolan Reserve, Lincoln Pointe, Braxton on Bethel, and Sawmill Ravine.9Ardent Communities. Ardent Communities Homepage