JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Crews from the city were out at Colonial Forest Apartments Monday – cleaning things up and repairing staircases that were recently condemned because of rotting wood and other stability issues. The repairs are starting just days after a judge granted the City of Jacksonville an emergency temporary injunction requiring the Colonial Forest owner to correct issues at the property.
Other issues the owner needs to address include trash pickup and pool maintenance.
On Monday, we saw workers with supplies ready to build new staircases. We also saw some condemned units that were boarded up. Some residents have been relocated while repairs are being made.
Others who are staying on the property while the repairs are being made will be relocated if necessary, management said. We’ve learned a new owner is stepping in soon.
When we asked resident, Linda Carpenter, how it feels to finally get the attention they need, she replied, “I’m happy. I mean, I’m grateful that this new owner is trying to step up and help. But the old owner does need to be held accountable for him. He she or they. It’s their fault, the places run down to begin with, they weren’t doing the repairs as they were needed.”
The owner of the complex has until Thursday to meet the conditions of the injunction granted last week – which includes getting a licensed waste hauler to pick up trash and cleaning out and repairing the swimming pool.
RELATED: City of Jacksonville sues Westside apartment complex after multiple citations, safety complaints | ‘This is terrible:’ Residents call Westside apartment complex unsafe, parts of the building are condemned
“Thank God for Channel 4, if you hadn’t come, I don’t think anything would have gotten done. But luckily, they got somebody that’s making repairs so that it’s safe,” Naomi Stancel, who lives at the complex, said.
On Monday, there were still no dumpsters on the property but, management told us they started work on the pool, which is one of the requirements of the city’s injunction.
“It’s long overdue. You can see how the grass had not been cut in a while and the trash is piled up back there. So they do need to take care of the basic necessities,” Stancel said.
For residents, it’s a step in the right direction – but, there is still more work to do.
“I feel like they’re finally listening to somebody, but look what it took to get someone to listen. It took a lot and it took a judge,” Carpenter said.
The city does have fire personnel stationed 24/7 on the property because of the many code violations. Once the staircases are repaired, the fire watch should be lifted and residents should be safer.
As for the new owner stepping in, property records don’t show a sale is final just yet, but we’ll keep checking.
Copyright 2023 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
