CORAL SPRINGS – It is
deadline day for residents of Villa Bianca Condominium in
Coral Springs who have been ordered to evacuate because the
building did not complete its 40-year-certiication which was
due in 2016.
The City of Coral
Springs says the condo, off Woodside Drive, is in urgent
need of repair.
City officials say the property also 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,” said
City official Lynne Martzall last month. “Their priority for
us is the health and safety of our residents and this
building was not brought up to its 40th-year inspections.”
One resident showed
CBS4 their back porch, where a portion of the roof fell more
than a month ago and nothing has been done.
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Other residents told
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.
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.
Residents were given until August 5 to vacate the building,
but some have nowhere to go.
The city says it is working with a charity to provide
temporary housing.