JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — James Ross has called Treetop Apartments home for four years and says lately, he’s been living with an unwanted roommate.
“All the stuff in my walk-in closet was full of mold,” he said.
Ross collected a sample over two days, and when the petri dish came back from the lab, it showed how he was breathing in five different types of mold.
Jacksonville’s Municipal Code Compliance Division confirmed there is mold and mildew inside of Ross’ apartment. He believes he’s been living with mold for the past two years.
“A pipe or something busted, and it flooded my whole apartment,” Ross said.
Not once, but twice. Two months in a row during Hurricane Ian and Nicole.
Although the pipes have been patched and the water has dried since his apartment flooded in the fall of 2022, left behind are these black shadows on the wall.
“After about six months, I started coughing, having nosebleeds, sore throats,” he explained.
Ross reported his living conditions to his property manager without end. After every maintenance appointment, he discovered more contamination spreading throughout his apartment.
Taking this up with the Municipal Code Compliance Division, Inspector Michael Wilson walked through Ross’ home, noting in his report the “discoloration around the shower head.”
“That’s the mold that accumulated in just four days,” Ross added.
In November 2023, the city gave Treetop Apartments a violation for quote “failure to maintain the property,” and ordered immediate repairs.
See the case recap linked below
When First Coast News started this investigation in the summer, Ross’ work orders were still not fulfilled.
The owners of Treetop Apartments, Royal American Management, declined an interview but sent a statement in response to Ross’ living conditions saying, “Our team is already actively looking into the issues raised, and we are taking immediate steps to resolve them.”
For Ross, all he wants is a safe place to come home to.
“I’m looking for justice to clean this place," he said.
Since reaching out to Royal American Management, crews have been back out to Ross’ home collecting samples. First Coast News was told if his home was found to be "uninhabitable, they'll make alternative living arrangements."
Those samples came back positive for mold, becoming the catalyst for construction to start inside the apartment.
Now, Ross has moved out of the apartment and no longer resides in Treetop Apartments.