MIAMI – The city of
Coral Springs is ordering a condo evacuated due to failure
to complete its 40-year recertification, which was due in
2016.
The Villa Bianca Condominium, off Woodside Drive, is in
urgent need of repair.
“When it rains, it
rains in our bathroom,” said condo resident Jacob Henning.
Henning isn’t exaggerating. A video shows video dripping
inside his condo unit.
“We have a newborn here. He’s a year and a half. He can’t be
staying in a room that’s contaminated with mold it’s not
good for his safety. It’s not good for anyone’s safety,”
said Henning.
City officials posted pink notices on all the building’s
units. “Their
priority for us is the health and safety of our residents
and this building was not brought up to its 40th-year
inspections,” said Lynne Martzall, a city official. |
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In addition to the failure to comply
with the 40-year recertification requirements, city
officials say the property has 7 major violations that
include everything from being a fire hazard to not meeting
minimum housing code standards, like the shower that can
only turn using pliers.
“There was one unit that was deemed uninhabitable since 2012
due to a structure fire. There are multiple electrical
violations, window violations, safety code violations,”
Martzall said.
One resident showed CBS4 their back porch, where a portion
of the roof fell down a month ago and nothing has been done.
Other residents tell CBS4 the building is overrun with rats.
The garbage is not picked up regularly and a $13,000 water
bill for the entire complex has left them without water for
multiple weeks at a time.
“I don’t want to live in these conditions.”
The 16-unit building is owned by multiple people but at
least 9 of the units are owned by one family and managed by
the same person.
There is no association. Residents and city officials say
they informed the owners of the violations but nothing was
done.
“You think he’s a slum lord? He is a slum lord. I’m sorry.
You know what I’m not sorry. I don’t care,” said resident
Phillex Anderson.
Anderson and Henning add they feel cheated because they pay
their rent which is $1,460 every month and now, with the
notice to move and no additional funds, they don’t have
anywhere to go.
“It baffles me how can you be a landlord and allow people to
live in conditions like this and not even attempt to fix it
up. Just overall, I’m disappointed angry and upset,” said
Henning.
Images provided to CBS4 by a special magistrate shows the
condition of the complex
Residents have been given until August 5th to vacate the
building.
The city says it is working with a charity to provide
temporary housing help for condo residents.