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FARGO — A Fargo family says they're being left out in the cold by their property management company.
"I still don't have a garage, and it's winter now," Matt Guthrie said.
Guthrie's unit is one of four at the Sugar Plum Square apartments, 1517 34th St. S., to lose their garage stall to an arson fire back in July. The Fargo Police Department is still searching for the arsonist.
"We lost a lot of stuff. When insurance got into it, it was probably around $4,500," Guthrie said.
More than four months later, Guthrie and the other residents still don't have a garage.
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"(It's) definitely like a cat and mouse game trying to find a spot to park," he said.
The only parking option for the family of four is wherever they can find a spot along the street in the apartment-dense neighborhood. Guthrie points out street parking is restricted now that winter is here.
"I have two kids that I have to take out onto that street over there and put them into a vehicle when I could easily have a garage here and put them in the vehicle inside my garage," Guthrie said.
Adding insult to injury, Guthrie says he was charged full rent each month despite not having a garage. He says GOLDMARK, who owns the property, decided to cut his family a $50 break in November after numerous complaints. However, that went a long with a $40 increase in rent.
"I don't really think 50 bucks is enough, considering they upped the price on the rent," he said.
Guthrie said getting answers to when the garages will be rebuilt has been impossible. They were deep-cleaned in early November. He said building materials have been laying in the parking lot since October.
"We were told the garage would be done before winter falls. It's winter now, and we still don't have a garage," Guthrie said, adding he wanted to speak out publicly, hoping the job finally gets done, but he thinks that's still highly unlikely.
"They are just full of empty promises," he said.
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GOLDMARK and Prairiewood Meadows, who manages the building, did not respond to a request for comment.
