EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Multiple people who currently live or have been evicted from an apartment complex in Northeast El Paso allege the property manager and landowner have continuously neglected pressing maintenance needs and that they retaliate against tenants.
The apartment complex is located at 4944 Titanic Ave.
“So they retaliated against us because we called the City, and then they actually get to get money from us? And then evict us without repairing the issues?” said Kimberly Peterson, who said she was recently evicted from the property.
Peterson said she was a victim of a retaliatory eviction by the landlord for trying to report plumbing issues she said she experienced in her unit.
“I had feces coming up through the tub, and black, nasty sludge that overfilled the tub and spilled into the bathroom area and then spilled into the bedroom area,” Peterson said.
Peterson said the landlord agreed to waive their rent for two months while they were relocated to a different unit due to the ongoing plumbing issues. However, she said the property manager argued in court that she had not paid rent to get her evicted.
KTSM spoke to three other current and former tenants who shared similar concerns but they all asked to remain anonymous. They said they feared the landowner would retaliate against them.
One of the tenants who still lives at the apartment complex shared the images below, which she says highlight some of the issues that have gone unattended for months.
They also said that the property manager told them that those who did not pay rent would not have their maintenance issues fixed.
“They had no intention of fixing anything, but they are here every first of the month collecting rent. And if we don’t collect rent, they right away, ‘We want to evict people,'” a recently evicted tenant said.
The alleged issues included broken walls, windows, and flooring. They said multiple units had carbon monoxide detectors that didn’t work, mold on floors and walls, water leaks from the roof, broken doors, among other issues.
Some even said they had gone for days or weeks without water or electricity.
Despite their concerns, these people said they didn’t have the financial means to find another apartment complex, and they all alleged that at one point or another they had to pay for repairs themselves without being reimbursed by the landowner.
“(Tenants) are draining their bank accounts, trying to keep these apartments. At the end of the day, other investments are not being made,” a current resident said. “(Tenants) don’t have the means, first of all, to be able to move out. They don’t have the means to hire legal help and the landlord is basically taking advantage of low income people.”
Maria Morales, the property manager for the apartment complex, did respond to the allegations and offered the statement below.
“I take tenant concerns seriously and strongly disagree with the allegations being made. Many of the individuals making these claims are former tenants with pending evictions due to non-payment of rent, in some cases exceeding six months. Unfortunately, some of these individuals have repeatedly threatened to involve the media as a tactic to avoid accountability, creating unnecessary disruption and concern for our longstanding residents. We do not tolerate unsafe living conditions, and we respond to maintenance requests appropriately and within legal time frames. Claims that tenants are denied leases, pay only in cash, or do not receive receipts are false. We maintain records and proper documentation for all transactions and agreements. There are current tenants who can attest to the safety and stability of the property and who have raised concerns about the disruptive behavior of certain individuals now making these claims.
“I would also like to express that I have personally felt threatened by specific individuals involved in these allegations. Some of them have made direct threats toward me in the past, which have made it difficult and, at times, unsafe for me to perform basic responsibilities such as collecting rent in person. This situation has created a hostile environment not just for me as the property manager/landlord, but for other residents who have voiced concern about the aggressive and disruptive behavior of a few individuals. These actions have impacted both my ability to do my job and the overall safety and well being of the community.”
Read: Read More