Liberty City neighbors want 'illegal evictions' to stop
MIAMI - A community and county effort put a pause on evictions in Liberty City. Tenants at a local apartment complex turn to local organizations and the Miami-Dade County Mayor's office seeking assistance for what they say are illegal evictions and substandard living conditions.
CBS News Miami attended a press conference at Lincoln Fields Apartments to learn about their crisis.
"I've been living in this for ten years," resident Ms. Kendrick said. "And my grandkids."
Kendrick lives inside an apartment at Lincoln Fields in Liberty City and points to what she believes is mold in the home.
"They paint over it, and then it comes back out."
On Tuesday, Ms. Kendrick joined fellow tenants and community organizations in the parking lot, calling on the apartment's property management company to address what they say are unsanitary, unsafe living conditions.
"We can do better," shared Miami Workers Center Executive Director Santra Denis.
She helps spotlight another looming threat, evictions. Signs from tenants and community activists call for it to end.
"We have been working closely to offer support to the impacted residents," said Morris Copeland, who works for the Miami-Dade County Mayor's office.
The goal is to prevent all families from being displaced through county programs and free legal services.
"The 30 tenants right now facing eviction, we've been successful in getting several of them dismissed," said Jeffrey M. Hearne, Chief Advocacy Officer with Legal Services of Greater Miami.
County officials tell us the management company in charge receives federal funds from Housing Urban Development, not county dollars for affordable housing.
"We met with HUD and the state," added Copeland. "And on two separate occasions, they have started preliminary investigations."
Investigations into the eviction process and living conditions.
"It's terrible," said a longtime resident who goes by Shalonda. "It's very sad the way they're doing us."
Shalonda shows us photos from one of her old units she lived in at Lincoln Fields. She says what we see is mold.
Shalonda tells us she's on oxygen and needs a wheelchair after doctors partially amputated her left leg.
"Bone infection. They had to amputate my leg because it gave me gang green."
CBS News Miami's Joe Gorchow asked Shalonda: "What's your message to the landlords if they could hear this today?"
"I wish they could do better," said Shalonda.
Shalonda says she switched units after the operation last year.
Miami Workers Center tells us the tenants want new property management. The county says it will continue offering additional financial support and work to ensure the management company meets its obligations.
We called the property management company early Tuesday afternoon and left a message to discuss the living conditions and evictions at Lincoln Fields. We are still waiting to hear back.