JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Housing Transportation and Community Development will hold a special hearing next week on the Housing and Urban Development's inspection process, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio announced late Thursday.
Rubio has successfully pushed for investigations into Global Ministries Foundation, owner of Eureka Gardens and five other federally subsidized housing projects in Jacksonville that have been scrutinized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The subcommittee hearing will be held next Thursday, and Tracy Grant, president of the Eureka Gardens Tenant Association in Jacksonville, will be among the witnesses to testify.
Grant said she will be truthful and shared with News4Jax part of what her testimony will include.
"We're human and we shouldn't be treated like animals or slaves at any point. If you want us to be dignified, then treat us with dignity," Grant said. "We don't want to all live out here forever, so how are you going to help the residents while you're trying to get the apartments up to code?"
In May, GMF listed 11 properties for sale, including Eureka Gardens and five other federally subsidized housing complexes in Jacksonville.
Federal housing officials will be in town next week to meet with Mayor Lenny Curry. News4Jax learned that visit is in reference to a new owner for Eureka Gardens.
“We've been on top of the slumlords at Global Ministries Foundation for a year now, and this is another step in holding them accountable,” said Rubio, who will speak as a witness at the hearing. “They’ve been stealing taxpayer dollars. They’ve been endangering the health and safety of people. And I've been disgusted by these slumlords. They’re crooks, but I'm glad we're able to keep highlighting what they did, and fix the way the federal government does housing inspections, so this can be prevented from ever happening again to anyone in the future."