Owner given extension to fix stairs at Eureka Gardens

Interior city code violations fixed; faulty stairs still an issue

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The owner of Eureka Gardens has another 90 days to fix the remaining unsafe stairwells at the troubled housing complex, a city magistrate decided Thursday.

A representative for Global Ministries Foundation, which owns the complex, said that might not be enough time. GMF had asked for 120 days to complete the repairs.

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The city had previously given GMF, which was founded by the Rev. Richard Hamlet, an extension for the deadline to fix the stairs, which were noted in inspections by the city and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be unsafe.

City Councilman Garrett Dennis, whose district includes Eureka Gardens, asked the magistrate Thursday for financial penalties against GMF for not fixing the stairs by the initial deadline, but that request was denied.

The magistrate did say that fines could result if GMF does not finish the repairs to the remaining stairwells by the three-month deadline.

Of 30 stairwells found to be in violation of city code in October, 18 still need to be replaced.

The city of Jacksonville confirmed last month that all interior code violations at Eureka Gardens had been fixed.

The complex received a score of 62c during its February HUD inspection, barely surpassing a passing score of 60, but enough that the federal government renewed its $6 million contract with GMF to operate Eureka Gardens as subsidized housing for another year.

HUD recently released its 80-page inspection report for Eureka Gardens, which has been under scrutiny since I-TEAM reports exposed deplorable living conditions, involving everything from mold and mildew concerns to gas and carbon monoxide leaks, exposed wires and faulty stairs.

A source at GMF told the I-TEAM on Wednesday that the foundation is continuing with federally mandated repairs to Eureka Gardens and expects to meet all deadlines. As for the future of Hamlet's properties in Jacksonville and whether GMF would consider selling them, the source said only "all options are open."

Jacksonville's code enforcement division swarmed the property in October for a two-day inspection raid after I-TEAM reports exposed the conditions there.

Code enforcement found violations in 165 units inspectors went into. There are 400 units on the property.
Hamlet was called before a magistrate judge earlier this year for missing key deadlines on repairs. His attorney appeared instead and bought GMF another 30 to 60 days to fix the outstanding code violations.

GMF has to keep the property in safe and sanitary conditions to qualify for $3 million a year in taxpayer money to cover rents for tenants at Eureka Gardens.

Hamlet owns 61 housing complexes in eight different states. Here in Jacksonville, he’s established one umbrella company to run Eureka Gardens and five other housing communities, including Washington Heights.

The latest HUD report confirmed Washington Heights was in even worse condition than Eureka Gardens. It scored 60.01.

City Councilman Reggie Brown, whose district includes Washington Heights, told the I-TEAM after Thursday's hearing that he thinks the media have been exploiting the residents of Eureka Gardens.

Watch the I-TEAM's full one-on-one interview with Brown