Feces, sewage spotted on grounds of Golden Shores of Jacksonville apartments during visit by I-TEAM

Visit to Jacksonville apartment complex triggered by complaints of residents

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some residents of the Golden Shores of Jacksonville apartments contacted the News4JAX I-TEAM, complaining of poor living conditions and that it takes months before problems get addressed.

Right outside of Johnny Torres’ front door, there was sewage overflowing from a pipe.

“There’s human urine and poop on the grounds, coming out of the grounds, every time someone flushes the toilet it comes out,” said resident Johnny Torres.

“I can’t even open up my windows and air my house out and enjoy the fresh air,” he said.

Torres says he and others who live in the Golden Shores of Jacksonville apartments have seen and smelled the feces and urine for over a week. He says management is aware of the problem, but when asked when they’ll fix it, he said he couldn’t get an answer.

Torres says his problems don’t stop at his doorsteps. He said there’s flooding in his apartment.

“Maybe four times a month. So once a week,” he said.

Torres said he’s attempted to contact management for the flooding as well.

“Went in there told them what’s going on and they don’t send nobody,” he said.

Another resident, who asked not to be identified, showed a loose sink, mold, patches in the ceiling that leak water — and roaches.

Photo taken from inside resident's apartment. (News4JAX.com)

She said it’s been an issue for months.

“They sprayed they had pest control come and I still have roaches,” she told the I-TEAM.

She said when she complains to management, they say they fixed the problem. Sometimes it takes months to do, and eventually those problems come back.

She said she called the city, and she shared a voicemail. It appears a city worker is working to schedule an initial inspection of the property.

That woman says she hopes when code compliance sees the problems — and reports them to the complex — that it makes management do a better job of fixing them.

The I-TEAM tried to speak with the apartment complex Tuesday. Someone answered a listed number but only said they’d pass our information along.


About the Author:

Khalil Maycock joined the News4JAX team in November 2022 after reporting in Des Moines, IA.