Fort Myers councilman weighs in bad living conditions, crime at Jones Walker apartments

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Jones Walker Apartments

Rundown and breeding crime. That’s what the Fort Myers City Council thinks about the Jones Walker Palm Garden Apartments complex.

The City now wants the owner of the apartments to clean up these problems.

The complex sits along Blount Street, which is just north of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

People living at the apartments say they’re tired of seeing crime, pests, and mold.

Tiffany Hall has been living in this complex for years and says living conditions are filthy but there’s no other place her family can afford, “It’s too much, it’s in the walls. All they do is paint over it. They don’t actually clean it,” she said.

That’s why Ward 2 City Councilman Johnny Streets is speaking out, “We’re talking about human beings, we’re not talking about animals.”

Streets is urging the city to step up and do something.

More than half of the units are under code violation since June and you, as a taxpayer, are helping to pay for these units.

Another resident named Renee, who didn’t want her last name published, said “At least show us the concern, that you are concerned and trying to do something. It’s 80 units out here, that’s 80 different families.”

And bad living conditions equal more crime according to Councilman Streets. But for now, the biggest worry is for people’s health.”Just because we are a low income based apartments, why do we have to get treated like that”

We’ve been trying to reach out to the company that owns the apartments for comment but kept getting hung up on.

If tenants have a maintenance issue that is not being properly addressed by the property management onsite, their next step is to call the HUD Contract Administrator, North Tampa Housing Development Corporation, that helps to monitor the property’s compliance with HUD requirements.

This contract administrator follows-up on the pertinent issue until it is resolved. For Jones Walker tenants, the number to call is 1-800.982.5232. This number should be available on the property for tenants to call as needed.

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