JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After hearing complaints about the Cascades Apartments near EWU, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan decided to take a look for herself.
Deegan was joined by Jacksonville City Councilmember Ju'Coby Pittman to talk with management and residents about the living conditions.
"I'm ready to move. I don't want to be in this any more," said Cascades Resident Bridgette Waters.
First Coast News asked Bridgette Waters what her issues are at the Cascade Apartments in Jacksonville's Urban Core.
Perhaps the better question would've been: What isn't an issue?
"Rats are looking around looking at you, the roaches, the holes in the walls," said Waters. "Stairways are loose, you may fall, hurt yourself, and there ain't no lights out here or anything like that."
Waters also added flooding up to her ankles and mold are part of the problem.
It's that mold issue that brought Mayor Donna Deegan to the complex.
"This is not a five star hotel, but this is a hotel that people have an expectation that where they live is going to be clean and livable," said Deegan.
Deegan spent about a half hour talking with management to see what work is being done to fix the property.
"I think that there needs to be an expectation that any place that calls itself an affordable housing unit also has a minimum level of livability," said Deegan. "It's disconcerting to see anyone living in conditions that are less than healthy."
Some residents expressed concerns to First Coast News that if the issues are resolved, they're afraid rent will go up and they will be forced to the streets.
First Coast News brought those concerns to Deegan.
"That is something that is an issue," said Deegan. "He [the property manager] assured us that is not the case, that people don't need to worry about those things, that they need to fix those issues."
Deegan says she plans to follow up with management next week to see what the repair plans will look like.