HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department is now involved in the quest for answers at the Sterlingshire Apartment Complex, and sent several inspectors to the property Friday.
This comes as more news of deplorable conditions are being brought to light and tenants say management continues making matters even worse.
Frustrations have amplified for those residents who say they’ve been living in moldy apartments, with faulty appliances, infested with pests.
Management released a statement saying in part, that units featured in our initial report were vandalized, broken into, and supposed to be vacant.
”I got money order receipts, I got a lease,” said resident Elisha Bailey. “I’ve been here five years. That’s impossible.”
Meanwhile, more concerns, such as huge rat infestations, are surfacing.
What appear to be mice and rats in units can be seen in a cell phone video and a picture sent to KPRC 2 by a tenant.
“They (the rats) must be living in the stove because when it heats up, they come out,” said another resident, Eva Wheeler.
”Big rats!” another woman shouted.
City inspectors responded to complaints, and explored multiple units this morning.
”The main thing is, we got them out here, so they need to see the horrific foolishness that we’ve seen for the last couple of days,” said Dr. Candice Matthews with the Houston Chapter of the Rainbow Push Coalition.
On top of this, some tenants say they’ve suffered more retaliation following KPRC 2′s initial reports, such as air conditioning units being ripped out and more calls to Child Protective Services.
Now residents and advocates are pushing back.
”I took it a step further. I contacted the commissioner with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in Austin, and I alerted the whole CPS. I alerted them to let them know that false allegations have been coming from this apartment complex,” Matthews added. “You can call and report the apartment for perpetuating unsafe living conditions for the elderly and babies. The door swings both ways.”
Residents are urged to call 311 to complain about unsafe living conditions.
It’s advised you record the case number, date, and time, and then let your district council member know.
So far at Sterlingshire, the city found several violations needing to be addressed.
KPRC 2 hopes to learn about the full inspection results from Sterlingshire soon.