CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Residents living at Clairelane Garden Apartments said they're frustrated over maintenance concerns. They believe the lack of support from the apartment complex is putting their safety at risk.
Edelia Medina has lived at the complex for four years and she said within that time, the issues have gotten worse within maintaining property, including the elevator that constantly doesn't work.
“I’ve been walking up and down the stairs since I’ve had my total knee replacement, which is almost a year now and they have not fixed it. The elevator is fixed for maybe a week and then it’s broken for four months," Medina said.
While KRIS 6 News was on the property, maintenance workers began evaluating the elevator and put up a notice for residents not to use it.
But Medina is not the only resident that's upset. Several others spoke about the conditions, but did not want to be identified over fear of retaliation from the apartment complex.
However, one of them mentioned they've volunteered to pick up trash around the complex and even clean the broken elevator when it's operating.
“There are homeless people all over the place. They’re doing the restroom in there and doing God knows whatever else in there. Then I found a drug needle in there,” they said.
Another resident mentioned some of the apartments lack proper cleanliness. Some are invested with rats, roaches and are claimed to not be American Disability Act compliant, as several of the residents are disabled and use canes or walkers to get around.
"We feel like we're being ignored. We don't deserve this, we come here to live and be comfortable. We go to the leasing office and they're never there to hear our complaints. We've written letters and we've even asked for help from the Housing Authority, but no response," they said.
One woman added that the security lights have been out for months, making it hard for residents to see at night.
“I don’t even know which way to go because it’s so dark. We need security guards, we need something to help us out. We’re older people that cannot do for ourselves," she said.
She even added her own lighting outside of her apartment to stay safe when she comes home at night.
As the problems continue to grow, residents said they hope the apartment complex takes accountability and offers them transparency.
"No matter how many times I complain to them it just goes in one ear and out the other,” they said.
KRIS 6 News tried speaking with directors with the leasing office, but they declined to comment on the matter.
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