Officials tour Opa-locka's Glorieta Gardens apartments, demand immediate changes to living conditions
OPA-LOCKA - The housing crisis continues at Glorieta Gardens Apartments in Opa-locka.
Monday, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, City of Opa-locka officials, and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development toured the property demanding immediate changes to residents' living conditions.
CBS News Miami has reported for months about the mold, rat infestations, snakes, and even flooding residents have been dealing with and no changes have been made.
Farah Devil, a resident who was physically ill cried for officials to do something,
"I need justice. I need help. I can't no more.
I can't. We can't. It's not even about me. It's not. I need help," she shouted.
Emotions ran high from many residents who are tired of waiting and living in such dire conditions.
Congresswoman Wilson agrees citing millions of dollars that she says has been pumped into this complex for at least 20 years. She claims the property managers of Glorieta Gardens are slum lords.
So, while some residents have been put up in hotels funded by the City of Opa-locka and Miami-Dade County, they still have no answers to more permanent solutions or a timeline.
Wilson said there should be professional construction crews hired to work on the mold, sewage, and infestation issues. She said she'd want to see changes as early as two weeks. However, a regional manager with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development said now that they've seen the damage they can come up with an effective plan.
"We can talk about what's legally feasible for us to do. We'll have a follow-up meeting that will inform what the next steps are," said HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Jennifer Riley Collins.
Miami Dade County has filed a lawsuit against Glorieta Gardens. Congresswoman Wilson says she plans to file a separate lawsuit.
The property managers of Glorieta Gardens have not commented.