Shirley Spencer said apartment maintenance crews showed up, but she said they tore up her kitchen and only made the problem worse.
HOUSTON — Frustration is boiling over for one southeast Houston woman who said she’s been forced to live in unsanitary conditions.
She turned to KHOU 11 for a solution and said maintenance crews showed up at her apartment after our story aired Tuesday night.
But things have only gotten worse. KHOU 11 met with her again on Wednesday, where she’s still hoping to get solutions.
Shirley Spencer said apartment maintenance crews showed up, but she said they tore up her kitchen and only made the problem worse.
Anger and frustration are spilling over for Spencer.
“I can hardly talk because I’ve been exposed to toxic waste,” she said.
KHOU 11’s Matt Dougherty first spoke to her Tuesday in her unit at the Spanish Village Apartments. At 72 years old, she said the smell and damage from repeated flooded plumbing incidents are too much to take. She said water from neighboring units had been filling up her sink, sending the water and gunk onto the floor, saturating the walls, carpet and furniture.
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She said she had been asking for help since Nov. 21 before reaching out to KHOU 11 News.
On Wednesday, she showed KHOU 11 what happened after the initial story aired. She said maintenance showed up and removed cabinets and insulation, and also took apart her kitchen plumbing and moved her furniture.
They left her apartment looking like a construction zone. Her unit was unlivable.
“I’m not gonna do that here. They gonna put me up in a room. He’s not gonna push my stuff around like that. And he ain’t gonna do me any kind of way,” she said.
We went to the leasing office and tried to speak to apartment employees, only to have the door closed in our face.
Later, we confronted the man who Shirley said owns the complex.
“Do you have a contact or somebody we can talk to? Have you seen the inside of her unit?” we asked.
He claimed he was not the property owner and provided no answers.
“He came in my apartment, and he didn’t have the courage enough to talk to me. That’s a coward way out. Coward,” Spencer said.
The city replied, saying to our inquiry: “Houston Public Works Building Code Enforcement Investigations and Houston Health Department will investigate this complaint. They will report back findings and potential enforcement actions taken once the site visit has been completed.”
The city’s apartment compliance department and other inspectors made it to the property on Wednesday evening. KHOU 11 learned they’ll be giving a notice of violation, where the property owner will be given time to rectify the situation or be given a citation.
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