CLEVELAND — It's been nearly two weeks since tornados caused damage across Northeast Ohio, and crews have been working to repair the damage.
However, some residents at the Breakwater Tower and Shorewood Apartments say heavy rain following the tornadoes has left them with water damage.
Christopher Zatvarnicky lives in the Breakwater Tower Apartments with his fiancée and roommate; he says things took a turn for the worse when a tornado ripped part of the roof off the building.
"All of my floors have water damage, all the paint is peeling off of the walls, we have had a massive issue with the electricity where the outlets were sparking, they had to replace a few of my light switches, and it's been rough. We have over a few inches of water all over our apartment, including lots of property damage," said Zatvarnicky.
Zatvarnicky says management put a tarp over the roof but says it has not done much to stop water from coming into their apartments.
Steve Gesis is a property manager from Smartland Property Management, which owns Breakwater Tower Apartments. He says they are actively working to resolve the issues and accommodate residents.
"Today, there's already a roofing company coming out here again to try to improve some of our temporary repairs. We have permanent repairs coming, and we've been working actively with all our residents and all our staff to help accommodate any residents that need to be moved," said Gesis.
Despite their efforts, tenants argue that management has shown a lack of concern for their safety,
"With the way that everything has been handled and they are still asking people for rent, with the amount of damages being done to these homes and properties, it doesn't seem like there is a lot of motivation or care in the company or sympathy towards these tenants," said Zatvarnicky.
Zatvarnicky says he is concerned for the disabled people who live in the apartment.
"We have a lot of disabled individuals including myself and when there is a lot of water on the floors and the walls are peeling, that's not safe for them to maneuver around their apartment. So, I just hope management fixes this quick because it feels like we are living in danger," said Zatvarnicky.
