ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Tenants at The Morgan apartment complex in south St. Petersburg woke up with running water on Thursday morning, but they were uncertain if the relief was temporary.
However, the property management company for the complex announced midday Thursday that it had paid all past-due bills.
City holds off on shutting off service
What we know:
The City of St. Petersburg confirmed it would not shut off service on Thursday, despite a warning issued earlier this month that unpaid water bills could lead to a shutoff on Aug. 21.
Before paying all past-due bills midday Thursday, the owner, Lurin Real Estate Holdings, still owed more than $350,000, according to the city. A spokesperson for the company released the following statement:
“Payment for all past due water bills for The Morgan has been sent to the City of St. Petersburg and should be reflected soon in the City’s records. We thank residents for their patience as we worked to resolve this matter, as promised, with no interruption in service. We will now turn our attention to catching up on certain maintenance needs at the property. The comfort, well-being and safety of our residents remain our top priorities. Our company is committed to delivering a high-quality living experience, and our teams work hard every day to offer great homes in growing markets that badly need quality rental housing. We are pleased to move past issues related to the water service and to be in position to strengthen the quality of the residential experience at The Morgan.”
Pictured: The Morgan. Courtesy: Lurin Real Estate Holdings.
The City of St. Pete confirmed it received a payment on Wednesday and another payment on Thursday.
What they’re saying:
However, some tenants at the 304-unit complex say there have been a number of issues concerning the upkeep of the complex.
“It’s been at least a month, the pools are green,” one tenant said. “They finally cut the grass when it was up almost to your waist.”
Residents hope this is not a continued issue moving forward.
“I’ll have concerns: What’s going to happen next month, or the month after that?” one tenant said.
‘We were told that the payment had already been sent’
What they’re saying:
Prior to the company paying the past-due bills, resident Ashleigh Slaybaugh says communication from management hasn’t matched what the city was saying.
“We were told payment had already been sent to the city,” Slaybaugh said. “Then a few days later we got an email saying (Lurin) needed to investigate billing spikes before they could pay. Clearly, nothing was sent, or we wouldn’t have gotten that email.”
Mixed messages fuel mistrust
Dig deeper:
Lurin had claimed full payment was made weeks ago. But the city says only $147,416.37 has been paid toward the balance at The Morgan, and none of that was enough to call off the warning entirely.
While water service is still on, the city has told residents to begin exploring backup housing options just in case.
“(Running water) is not even, like, a want. It’s a basic necessity of life,” Slaybaugh said. “Why are we relying on The Morgan to not pay our bills for us? Because now this looks bad on us as well.”
The Source: This report includes City of St. Petersburg utility notices and email statements, an interview with Morgan resident Ashleigh Slaybaugh, email statements from a Lurin spokesperson, and St. Pete’s published Guide for Renters.