CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Javier Chapa, a tenant at Azure Apartments on the Southside, says he has been dealing with a persistent rat infestation for months, with little help from apartment management.
Chapa first noticed signs of the problem in November of last year when he found ramen noodles scattered across his kitchen. At first, he thought maintenance workers might have been responsible, but he soon discovered more evidence.
"Rat droppings underneath the sink," Chapa said.
He also found damage to newly purchased rugs.
"I had bought some rugs from At Home. And the mats were bitten through and chewed up," Chapa said.
Chapa reported the issue to apartment management, but he says their response was not what he expected.
"She told me that I was responsible to catch the rats. And let maintenance know, and maintenance would come dispose of it," Chapa said.
He says management also told him pest control wouldn’t be available for a week to nine days.
"What am I paying pest control for then?" Chapa asked.
At first, Chapa resisted buying rat traps, believing the complex should handle the issue. However, he eventually purchased them himself, without reimbursement. He says he successfully trapped one rat and contacted the front office, expecting someone to retrieve it.
"Apparently they never went in, so the rat just got loose from the trap and was still here," Chapa said.
He claims the rat eventually escaped, damaging his carpet in the process. Due to the ongoing problem, Chapa says he has been staying elsewhere.
"Since November, I've been here maybe a week. Because of this situation," he said.
KRIS6 News reached out to the property manager for comment. She declined, stating she had been advised not to speak.
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