JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Complaints from Eureka Gardens residents about deplorable living conditions at the complex have echoed all the way to Washington.
Reps. Ander Crenshaw and Corrine Brown have expressed their concern and determination to see changes at the complex.
And Sen. Marco Rubio has called on his staff to investigate the "alarming" conditions at Eureka Gardens.
Rubio's staff in Washington spoke with Department of Housing and Urban Development officials in Jacksonville Friday, and Rubio's Jacksonville staff met with HUD officials in person and toured the complex as HUD wrapped up its independent inspections of the property.
After that tour, a Rubio spokesperson issued a strongly worded statement about the conditions Rubio's staffers witnessed:
"What staff witnessed on site was alarming: crumbling stairs disguised with duct-tape and covered with apparent black mold, faulty electric wiring covered with a garbage bag, distinguishable natural gas odor being sucked from an outdoor piping system into residents' air-conditioning, among other obvious health and safety issues. Residents of the Jacksonville facility deserve better from a federal housing complex."
After HUD voided the passing score the complex received in its most recent inspection and inspected all 400 units this week, tenants said they are cautiously optimistic that changes are coming. It's been two months since the conditions first came to light after tenants complained to News4Jax and city officials about the inaccuracy of the HUD score.
Still no major repairs are completed, something noted by Rubio's staff as well.
MORE: Complete coverage of Eureka Gardens investigation |
READ: Tenant Association letter to HUD
Tracy Grant, the head of the tenant association who helped expose the situation at Eureka Gardens, said a Rubio staffer asked Grant to show her around Friday.
"She looked across the street and said, 'Oh my gosh, you can see straight through the stairs,'" Grant said. "It's a nationwide issue. Yes, right now, we are asking, and we are putting our foot down to make sure this same cycle doesn't go on and on and on for years to come."
One concern Grant has voiced is how HUD performs its inspections. HUD maintains that its contracted inspector picked units at random during the now voided inspection in August.
But Grant and several other tenants said the HUD inspector was guided to units by the property manager.
"I don't think the HUD inspector knew where to go," said one tenant, who asked not to be identified. "I think the property manager knows exactly what apartments are clean and what looks good, and she led them to those apartments."
"If you are going to allow HUD to walk the property, then they should be able to knock on doors," Grant said. "That's cherry-picking to me."
Property manager Holli Garrard had a closed-door meeting with HUD officials Friday at the complex.
While tenants wait on repairs to begin, Grant wants HUD to make the owner of the complex, the Rev. Richard Hamlet with the Global Ministries Foundation, give up his rights to the properties.
Hamlet's organization bought six subsidized properties in Jacksonville three years ago that net $7 million in tax dollars annually.
"Why are we living like this? If you figure $7 million is just a drop in the bucket for you and you can walk away, then give up what you have," Grant said. "Someone else can do better and make sure that the people live better. They can be compassionate toward us instead of thinking, 'Oh, I got my pockets fat today.'"
Rubio's spokesperson said the senator will continue to investigate Eureka Gardens "until the apartments are both safe and secure" and encouraged tenants to call Rubio's office if they have any complaints. That contact information for the Jacksonville office is 904-398-8586.
HUD field director Alesia Scott-Ford said the department is compiling its findings from this week's inspections of the property and may have a timeline for repairs next week. She said the HUD investigation is separate from the city of Jacksonville's code enforcement sweep, but they will work in tandem to make repairs.
According to the initial code sweep, the building inspection department will return to the property Monday and the fire marshal also plans to go this weekend to make sure carbon monoxide detectors are being installed immediately and correctly.