BATON ROUGE - Earlier this week the State Fire Marshal cleared a Baton Rouge property owner after a 2 On Your Side report highlighted poor living conditions. That owner says he takes in the destitute and those with mental illness because few others will.

Brent Honore, the owner of Brittany's Place on Burbank Drive in Baton Rouge says he's offering people a place to live, many, rent free.

"Unfortunately, only a quarter of the people here pay something," said Honore.

He says he's been offering shelter to these people after a business deal fell through. For a decade, he's been taking calls from people who have no where to go.

Last week, 2 On Your Side viewed one of the units where Jason Drew's brother lived. Drew showed reporter Brittany Weiss what he described has horrible living conditions. The only working toilet in the unit was stopped up and there was a large hole in the downstairs ceiling. The sink was full of brown water and there was mold growing on the tile floor.

Drew's brother lived there with a number of other people who have mental illness. He was charged $866 a month for his own room while others were charged $608 a month to share a room.

"I wouldn't let my dog stay over here," said Drew.

Last week, 2 On Your Side starting asking questions about these conditions and the Department of Health and Hospitals filed a complaint. This week, the State Fire Marshal's Office investigated and cited Honore for fire code violations. Honore was cleared of those violations Wednesday, when he made upgrades to his two dozens units at Brittany's Place.

Honore says the conditions Drew described and showed 2 On Your Side are only conducive to two units at the facility. He says he's not offering any services and only a few people are being charged rent so they have a place to stay instead of living on the street.