Lakewood, Hidden Village Settle Six-Year Litigation

Lakewood City Council voted to bring the city’s longest-pending civil lawsuit to a close on Monday evening by authorizing a settlement with the owner of a local apartment complex.

The dispute arose from a series of interactions in 2006 and 2007 between the city and the owner of Hidden Village Apartments in Lakewood. The owner, Hidden Village, LLC, alleged the city engaged in practices that violated its and its tenants’ rights, and the city denied those allegations. The city will contribute $507,500 toward the settlement, and the company will release all claims against the city and all of its past and current officials and employees.

“The settlement does not represent an admission of liability by the city, and Lakewood has always disputed the allegations made in the complaint,” said Lakewood Mayor Michael Summers. “But we believe the resolution of a very old, very time-consuming and potentially costly case was in the best interest of our citizens.” 

Summers, who first took office in 2011, advocated bringing the nearly six-year-old lawsuit to an end. “We were prepared for this settlement so our financial strength is unaffected,” he said.  “In fact, by removing the specter of extensive litigation our position is now strengthened.”

The case, which was litigated in the U.S. District Court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, was scheduled to be tried before a jury in Youngstown beginning on October 27.