HOUSTON — The city of Houston is targeting an apartment complex for what residents are describing as unhygienic living conditions.
Rats, mold and piles of trash are issues residents say they’re enduring at the Timber Ridge Apartments, located at 12200 Fleming Drive in east Houston.
On Tuesday, multiple residents complained at the Houston City Hall during the public comment portion of a council meeting. A day later, inspectors from various city departments descended on the apartment complex.
The city’s legal team is also going through all possible enforcement opportunities with a fine-tooth comb on the heels of Mayor Sylvester Turner announcing the formation of a ‘strike force’ that will target apartment complexes with similar health and safety issues.
“It’s nasty outside. It’s nasty inside,” said Timber Ridge resident Jessica Henderson. “Mold everywhere. Rats everywhere.”
Henderson said she pays $1,000 a month for a two-bedroom apartment only to, “live like animals,” among rodents and under a leaking ceiling.
“In one night, in one night I caught 10 rats. That’s too many rats," Henderson said.
Residents like Henderson share similar experiences.
“We’ve had no mail for the past three months,” said Angela Escobar of the complex’s mailroom that’s overrun with what appears to be months of mail.
Escobar said because of the complex’s convenient location to her partner’s job, she doesn’t want to move. She just wants the repairs made and living conditions improved.
Robert Gallegos, the City of Houston Council member for District I, represents the residents of Timber Ridge. He listened to their complaints Monday, and made a visit to the complex on Wednesday.
“One complaint is that management is constantly changing," Gallegos said.
Off camera, a woman, who only identified herself as a person working on behalf of the property owner, told KHOU 11 she’s aware of the complaints and the warnings from city departments and is working to make all the necessary changes.
“We are no longer taking this in our city,” said Dr. Candice Matthews with the Rainbow Push Coalition from the steps of the leasing center on Wednesday. The coalition is an international human and civil rights organization that is now teaming with city council to hold Timber Ridge Apartments accountable.
“Never. Never. Never. Never. Never." Henderson said she never would have thought that renting an apartment in the 4th largest U.S. city could be like this.
“My stove don’t work. My stove don’t work! I got one burner on my stove that works. I call them. I ask them to fix it. They don’t do it,” Henderson said.
Gallegos said Timber Ridge Apartments has about a month to make the necessary repairs.
To learn more about the apartment inspections being done by the city of Houston, click here.
For more information on what state law requires for the process of requesting repairs to an apartment unit, click here.
Xavier Walton is following this story and will have more details on KHOU 11 News at 10 p.m.