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Tenants protest living conditions at Himbola Apartments
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LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)-- Residents of Himbola Apartments protested Tuesday to demand solutions for their deplorable living conditions.
Tenants are seeing solutions following complaints of maintenance issues being ignored.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Texas, where Himbola's owner is located, inspected the property.
One tenant tells News 10 the chief of HUD says he is looking for cases of mismanagement and ways to relocate residents to nonhazardous locations.
State Representative Tehmi Chassion said Tuesday that Lafayette Consolidated Government inspected Himbola for the second time.
"And what's going to occur is, now at this point, whatever wasn't addressed from the first to the second inspection, that's going to go to AB court after this point," Chassion said.
"And the judge at that point can order them to fix it, order fines. And I think fining, in case they don't have it addressed by that time, I think the fining situation will actually help rectify a lot," Chasson continued.
Tara Fogleman, who helped organize the protest, says Himbola residents have been mistreated for years.
"I feel their pain. For anyone who's listening, who's never had life throw them a curve ball financially, and feel like, 'Why haven't they moved out? They should just move out if it's this condition,'" Fogleman said. "You don't understand what it feels like then to be so low income, working, keeping your head above water."
Residents tell News 10 they may be forced to move out. Consuela Gaines with Voices for the Experienced said residents are being threatened with evictions.
"A lot of them are too afraid to do what I'm doing right now, and that's speaking up about the issues. They are too afraid because they get threatened with evictions," Gaines said. "From what I understand, the property manager yesterday was already talking about all the evictions that are going to be taking place next week."
Residents say fixes are temporary to pass inspections, not seeing any permanent soltuions.
"Y'all painting white paint on the top of this mold. No, my daughter has asthma. It's no way y'all should be doing this," tenant Marva Goodman said. "We have two of them right now in the hospital. I wonder what they in the hospital for? From back here. Why? Might be mold, could be anything going on."