HOUSTON – The city seems to be taking immediate action to fix the issues at the Timber Ridge apartments complex and others throughout the city where residents have been complaining.
Community leaders went to the apartments on Wednesday to lay out steps they say they’re taking, and residents are breathing sighs of relief.
“We are here today because it’s open season on these slum lords,” said Dr. Candice Matthews with the Rainbow Push Coalition. “We are no longer taking this in our city.”
Residents at the east side complex say they feel their voices are finally being heard, after months of safety, maintenance, and pest issues to name a few, going unresolved.
“We actually have two cats now just to take care of our rodents,” said resident Angela Escobar.
Community activists like Dr. Matthews, and city council members Robert Gallegos and Dr. Letitia Plummer say they’re working with the city to bring forth major changes.
“We had solid waste,” Gallegos said. “We had the health department, we had public works, we had legal that were out here. There’s still some that are here in the complex, we sat down with the new manager, she assured us that we will be working on these issues.”
“Today, the mayor announced the creation of a strike force. That force is going to be a combination of habitability inspectors, health inspectors… we have not gotten all the details of how that’s going to work, but these are people that will come out specifically and deal with issues immediately,” Plummer said.
The Strike Force will operate under guidelines being authored in a new ordinance called Apartment Inspection Reform that focuses on accountability, it should be completed in a few months. Right now, city leaders also asking residents with issues to take action.
“There is an apartment checklist,” Plummer said.
The overflowing trash had been picked up as of Tuesday.
Community leaders say they’re going to check back here in in about a month to make sure management is keeping its word on making improvements on the other issues.
Residents with ongoing apartment complex issues are advised to report them by calling 311 and Houston Apartment Association at (713) 595-0300