Residents say apartments are still plagued by broken appliances, insects and rodents

Nikky Tapia said she has had issues with her apartment since she moved in shortly after officials inspected the property three years ago.

“It was so cold in here, I had to leave the stove on or the oven because it was so cold,” she said. “Mind you, maintenance suggested it.”

Tapia said when she complained to management, they gave her a space heater. But, that didn’t work.

“These space heaters was knocking off my breaker,” she said. “Whenever I would turn on the space heater, my lights would go off.”

Tapia said heating wasn’t the only issue. Her kitchen has low water pressure, a malfunctioning refrigerator and a mice infestation. The cooling system is also not functioning, forcing her to leave her front door ajar on hot summer days.

“The conditions here … could be better, but I feel like they’re doing the best they can,” Tapia said, adding that this is the only place she can afford without housing assistance. The median gross rent in Camden is $1,226, according to recent U.S. Census data.

Biagio Caruso, vice president of Nationwide Housing Management, said that because the property is federally subsidized, each tenant pays a different amount in rent, based on income calculations by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

April Morris, a 15-year resident, said she has recently started withholding her rent because management has been unresponsive to problems in her apartment. She said her two-bedroom apartment costs $1,495 a month without her HUD voucher.

“I’m tired of it, sick and tired of it,” Morris said. “Everything is patchwork to them.”

Her oven and refrigerator don’t work. There’s also mold and mildew everywhere, she said.

“I go next door to a neighbor’s house to heat up pizzas for my 22-year-old autistic son,” Morris said.

Morris said she uses a deep freezer with an extension cord that runs into the living room because the electrical sockets in the kitchen don’t work. At least one shelf in a kitchen cabinet is being supported by bowls underneath. Electricity issues have also caused Morris to replace microwaves and air fryers, she said.

In addition to roaches, Morris said she has also had to deal with mice.