TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After weeks of delays, the first wave of students has finally moved into Perla, but some residents say they are now facing problems ranging from water issues to trash piling up — and in one case, what a parent believes could be mold.
Maddie Karniewicz, a Perla resident who moved in over the weekend, said she was relieved to be out of temporary housing.
“I’m so happy I’m not living in a hotel anymore,” Karniewicz said.
Karniewicz said her unit looks great, but her hot water stopped working after her first day in the building.
“I just have no hot water. It’s like room temperature and I’m hoping its cause they’re working on the water cause we had hot water the first day, and now we don’t,” she said.
Karniewicz also said she has heard from other residents about leaks and water problems. She confirmed the building’s trash system is not working yet, leaving trash in the hallways.
Concerns have also been raised by at least one parent, who provided a photo and said she believes a dark growth in her son’s unit is mold. The substance has not been independently confirmed.
City permit records show plumbing inspections dating back to July. Additional final building, fire and environmental inspections were recorded Sept. 10 and 11, just before the first students moved in Saturday.
Hedrick Brothers Construction said in a statement that it is “aware of the concerns that have been reported and has worked with the appropriate teams to address them. Based on the information currently available to us, the reported issues have been addressed.”
The company said it remains in communication with property management and its trade partners and will continue responding to construction-related concerns.
Move-in at Perla is still not complete. Only residents on floors three through seven of buildings B and C have been allowed to move in. Parents of some displaced students said they still have not received a timeline for when they can move in.
“I was likeI think it’s gonna be worth the wait once they figure everything out and now everything looks really nice, so I am happy I kept it,” Karniewicz said.
Perla has not provided a new move-in date for residents still waiting to get into their units.