HOUSTON – A Northwest side family that was forced to live in raw sewage that had been flooding their apartment for days, with no help from property management.
Since KPRC 2 first reported this story on Friday, the property manager sent a crew out to make repairs, and we were able to get multiple city agencies to begin investigations, but the family involved says their problems are far from over.
Last week, KPRC 2 showed you the apartment at the Asbury Park Condominiums complex that had been flooded with raw sewage. Darrell Hall lives there with his girlfriend and five children.
Since then, the family says property managers sent a crew to make repairs, but on Tuesday, Hall’s girlfriend, Makisha Kelly showed KPRC 2′s Deven Clarke that some issues persist.
“This right here is the stuff that they threw away when they came in here and cleaned up the water. The baby strollers, the baby swing, carpets, bikes, and stuff that we had for the kids,” she said.
Even worse, Kelly says her six and one-year-old sons are sick from the sewage.
“He (1-year-old) has a bacterial infection,” Kelly said. “I have to give him antibiotics four times a day in his eyes.”
Inside their apartment, practically gutted. Kelly says they lost about $5,000 worth of belongings.
“All this has to be thrown out, the couches…it’s got all the smell and stuff beneath the couches,” Kelly said.
Kelly adds there are still water leaks.
“It’s coming from the tub and the bottom of the toilet,” she said.
KPRC 2 contacted the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and Position 4 Councilmember at Large, Dr. Letitia Plummer who took quick action. A statement from Councilmember Plummer reads:
“The moment we heard the situation our office moved into gear! We have an internal system in place that allows us to engage the departments that have the capacity to rectify the issues.”
Following the initial repairs Plummer says a health department crew took air samples and determined the air quality is up to standard.
The investigations are ongoing we understand the city’s Department of Neighborhoods and the Houston Police Department’s Environmental Investigations Unit are working to collect more samples to check for contaminants. As for all of the belongings the family has lost, there is now a GoFundMe set up to help with that.
Tenants dealing with similar issues should call 311 and report them, you can also contact the Houston Health Department at 832-393-4220
You can also contact Councilmember Plummer’s office directly at 832-393-3012