After more than a year of reportedly requesting repairs, a tenant at an east side apartment complex can’t help but feel encouraged after work is finally being done. Other residents of Park Place apartments, however, believe the issues at the 122-unit complex are systemic.
As News 5 first reported last week, Elizabeth Jackson, a tenant at Park Place apartments, said her living conditions were unsafe and unsanitary. Among the issues were mice, mold, faulty electrical outlets, failing plumbing fixtures and a persistent leak coming from the second floor.
Also, there were mushrooms reportedly growing up from the subfloor underneath the leaky ceiling. Jackson alleged property management failed to have repairs made despite her asking multiple times.
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The day after News 5’s story aired, Jackson said management and maintenance surveyed her apartment.
“As soon as they saw it on the news, the next day they came in. They looked at everything,” Jackson said. “They said, ‘we will repair every single thing that’s wrong.”
So far, it appears that they are well on their way to fulfilling that promise. Holes in the drywall have been patched; light and plumbing fixtures have been replaced; new flooring in the bathroom and dining room has been installed and a new stove has been brought in. While a lot of work remains, Jackson is encouraged but still skeptical.
“I don’t trust it. I just don’t,” Jackson said. “[Ownership is] in it for the money. That’s what I believe. They’re all in it just for the money. They will send you an eviction notice before someone comes out and fixes everything that is broken. [Management] wants us to uphold our side of the lease but [ownership] won’t uphold [its] side of the lease.”
Jackson said she’s been trying to help other tenants get the same results she did. Ninth ward city councilman Kevin Conwell has done the same, arranging a meeting with tenants and the apartment's management company, IMS Management, slated for next week. He is also working on getting through to the complex’s Detroit-based ownership group.
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“We [have] to meet with this management company and come down on them,” Conwell said. “The city is moving forward to do that. We’re coming, we are definitely coming. If push comes to shove and we have to take them to [housing court], then we’ll do that. [Residents are] not getting quality of life that I see. There are 122 units, we need to visit every single unit to make sure.”
The management company has not returned requests for comment.
