TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — A man in Temple is not allowed to break his lease despite having military orders. The apartment could violate both federal and state law.
- Logen Trojanowski serves in the Texas Army National Guard at Camp Mabry in Austin.
- Texas Property Code, Section 92.017, gives service members the right to end a lease early if they are deployed or permanently re-stationed.
- The Service Members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) allows active duty service members,National Guard members, and reservists to break their leases without penalty if they receive military orders.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
UPDATE:
The 25 Newsroom received a phone call from the Hilltop Apartment complex detailing their side of the story.
A manager told 25 News they have accepted Logen's request and he will not be penalized for breaking the lease.
Once the proper orders were received he was placed on notice and the lease termination fees will not be charged. He was placed on notice to move out on December 20th," said Betty Szekely, the manager at the Hilltop Apartment.
He still, however, will still have to pay rent through January 19.
"Our community deeply respects and supports our military community. We are proud to have two staff members on-site who are military veterans, reflecting our commitment to those who serve," said Szekely.
ORIGINAL STORY:
"It's impacting me a lot, especially emotionally," Logen Trojanowski said.
Logen Trojanowski's life has been slightly over the place for the past two months.
"As a man, it's a little hard waking up every day knowing it's my job to help my family and provide in my current situation," Trojanowski said.
Logen signed a lease with Hilltop Apartments in Temple — but got orders from the Texas National Guard to report for duty at Camp Mabry in Austin.
So, he notified hilltop management, expecting to be released from the lease under the Service Members Civil Relief Act.
SCRA allows military service members to break leases without penalty if they receive military orders.
"I've given them orders, and they've refused those, and I've even gotten a JAG officer involved."
The JAG, or judge advocate general, sent the complex a letter detailing the situation and outlining the penalties for failing to follow the SCRA.
But it's not just federal law that the complex could violate in Texas.
Texas property code, section 92.017, gives service members the right to end a lease early if they are deployed or permanently re-stationed.
But even with both laws in the books, Trojanowki said the complex won't comply.
"I've given them orders, and they've refused those, and I've even gotten a jag officer involved," Trojanowski said.
25 News' Marc Monroy reached out to the apartment complex several times for comment but was declined and even kicked off the property.