After community outcry about ongoing problems at Timber Falls Apartments in Tampa, city council called for action today in a unanimous vote.
Several residents and concerned citizens spoke up in council chambers about an array of problems at the apartment complex, from black mold, to rats nibbling on children, to questionable spikes in rent and accusations of the complex stealing money from tenants.
After hearing the concerns, Councilman Luis Viera motioned for action in the coming days, in order to let Timber Falls management know that city council is serious about the situation.
Viera called for a letter of “concern and outrage” sent from city council to Timber Falls management, along with calling for the city legal department to investigate whether or not the management has violated any local laws or ordinances. Viera also called on the legal team to look at ordinances that could be passed in the future to prevent such problems. He suggested 60 days for the legal team to look into these issues.
Additionally, he called for a community meeting with Tampa’s Office of Human Rights and Code Enforcement at the complex to see and hear the residents’ concerns.
“A lot of scrutiny needs to be applied to [Timber Falls] because it is outrageous,” said Viera during the council meeting.
The vote from the rest of the council was unanimous for Viera’s motion, with every city council member expressing their disapproval of the situation at Timber Falls—located at 2600 E 113th Ave. in the University Area—and some even referring to the behavior as “criminal.”
During public comment, several residents of Timber Falls spoke up about what they’ve experienced.
Sheryl Fadous accused the management of increasing her rent without her being notified, after she was told she didn’t need to renew her lease because she qualified for rental assistance. She was told later that her rent was actually in arrears and that she suddenly owed $1,900, because management had placed her on a month-to-month lease without her knowledge, thus increasing her rent by $300 a month.
Out of fear of being evicted, she paid $1,300 to the management this month, while planning to pay the rest later, but still received a notice of eviction.
“She [the property manager] put a $1,900 eviction notice on my bill the very next day,” Fadous said. “She said that whatever happened before she got there, it’s not her fault, and that I will be evicted from my place.”
Valencia Simpson-Holmes said that toilets are backing up with feces, broken air conditioning units are rampant and black mold is coming out of the floor.
“We are forced to stay here because the rent is so high everywhere,” Simpson-Holmes said in an emotional plea to council.
Holmes accused the former property management company, Tzadik Management, of stealing tenants’ money, and added that now the new property manager, Residential Management Incorporated, is trying to collect that money from the tenants.
In 2020, the Tampa Bay Times reported that Tzadik Management received a big PPP loan as the residents suffered inhumane conditions.
According to Simpson-Holmes the problems just continued on from there, and the residents are desperate for help.
“Please do something about Timber Falls, please,” she said.
This article appears in Jul 14-20, 2022.