BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – A local management firm is touting its work to clean up and improve the quality of life for residents living on Binghamton’s West Side.

KOmanage LLC went from managing just over 100 units before the pandemic, to over 600 in a matter of months.

The owner, Brock Cvijanovich says that many Binghamton apartment buildings are owned by people who live downstate, and never see what truly goes on at their properties.

In particular, Cvijanovich says that 99 Oak Street, across from Binghamton High School was a hub for gang activity, squatters, and crime.

KOmanage purchased the building, and promised the tenants that it will invest in each apartment and remove any problem residents.

Owner of KOmanage LLC, Brock Cvijanovich says, “The people that move into the housing that we’re getting, I call them slums, slumlords. They never do any maintenance; they don’t put any money into the property. It’s all about how much money they can take out. There’s zero pride of ownership, and then, as a result of that, the tenants have no pride of where they live. If you give someone a nicer product, they’re going to treat it nicer.”

He says that KOmanage typically invests 15-20 thousand dollars into each unit and does not raise the rent for longtime residents.

He says as an owner, you can’t paint with a broad brush, you need to make the space livable and comfortable for a wide variety of people.