Homes

Filth, Flies & Foul Odor Fill Hollywood Apartments

HOLLYWOOD (CBS4) ― Bags of garbage, termites, and a backed up sewer, now residents at Gracewood Apartments in Hollywood say they've learned their water will be shut off Monday as well.

And foreclosure appears to be partially to blame in this case.

"My water gets cut off," said Jessica Perez. "What am I gonna do with three children? They tell me the health department is gonna make me leave."

Perez lives her with her three kids and husband, and Zana Pares also has a young family here. She says she had to pay several hundred dollars out of her pocket to take care of termites, and she says sewer waste backed up into her bathroom.

And then there's the garbage.

"The garbage, since I moved in mid-January, the garbage's been taken out one time by the city, not by the landlord paying. It was a code violation so they had to pick it up," said Pares.

The final straw came when residents learned the entire property is in foreclosure. Broward County court records show the property goes to auction on August 12th.

"I have one month to find an apartment for myself and my three children," said Perez.

CBS4 News called the property owner Lisa Frade to get some answers. She told CBS4's Carey Codd the property is in foreclosure because it does not bring in enough money to cover expenses.

As for the water, she said she paid the bill Thursday. However, the City of Hollywood confirmed late Friday afternoon that she had not paid the bill.

Frade says she also paid for the garbage to be picked up. As for the foreclosure, she says she does not believe the residents will be kicked out because they have a lease, but she did say they probably do need to find new places to live.

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