After being given an ultimatum by Patton Township, the management of Heritage Oaks Apartments moved quickly yesterday to resolve nine violations of property maintenance codes before a 48-hour deadline expired.

Paul Freeman, deputy director of Patton Township codes administration, said Heritage Oaks maintenance workers satisfied the code requirements in a timely fashion, relieving its danger of being issued a citation.

Edward Quincy Liggett, an inspector in Freeman's office, found during an inspection yesterday that the maintenance of Heritage Oaks, 10 Vairo Blvd., had cleared the sidewalks, paved the driveways, removed ice from apartment roofs and fixed water damage in seven apartments.

Freeman said his office is happy with the work.

"They've done a pretty good job in a short time period," he said.

Freeman characterized the code problems brought on by the winter weather as not out of the ordinary. He said the water damage was not because of structural failure, but was rather more of a cosmetic problem. He said every winter the office receives a flow of complaints from apartment complexes about water damage.

Wanda Ahlberg, the apartment complex's manager, said she was confident maintenance could remedy the problem by the deadline.

"We do try to eliminate problems in a reasonable amount of time," she said.

Rich Schaffer (senior-political science), who had a 27-pound piece of drywall fall from his ceiling last Friday, said he is happy that the management is fixing the ceiling. But he said he doesn't think the management would have moved so quickly if it hadn't been for the publicity garnered by Tuesday night's meeting of 50 Heritage Oaks tenants, who gathered in the complex's laundry room to discuss their unsafe living conditions.

"It's a shame it takes something like this to get things done," Schaffer said.

Even though Schaffer and his roommates are now happy customers, Schaffer said other tenants are dissatisfied. Tenants are still planning to meet with an attorney next Tuesday.

But Ena Brown, one of the leaders of Tuesday's meeting, said she is encouraged by the recent attempts to fix the ceiling.

"I think it is saying how (Heritage Oaks) could get a bad name," she said. "It doesn't need to happen. I used to be happy living here.

"It's a shame they didn't feel threatened when we were living in dangerous housing," Brown said. "The question is, will they continue to act responsibly? As long as we're paying rent, they should act responsibly."

Tenants turned in a petition today to the University's off-campus living office.

Since last week, tenants have been in contact with Forest Wortham, assistant director of campus living. He said he had offered to call Ahlberg last week to intervene on behalf of tenants, but tenants didn't want him to do it.

Wortham said Ahlberg always goes the extra mile to get things done and is an example of active customer service.

Brown disagrees with Wortham. She sees the actions of Heritage Oaks as entirely reactive in nature.

"They are being reactive, but why not pro-active? Will they continue to act responsibly?" Brown asked.