JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A troubled apartment complex on Jacksonville’s Westside is now under new management following months of complaints from residents about unsafe and unsanitary living conditions, according to court records and city officials.
The Grassy Pond Apartments are now being managed by Madison Real Estate Group, which says it plans to address longstanding problems at the property. Residents had previously reported issues including a lack of running water, a large sinkhole in the parking lot, drug activity, crime and deteriorating living conditions.
“It’s got to get better,” Tony Hannah said, who has lived at the complex for about seven years. “It can’t get no worse. It’s the worst as it can get.”
Under the former owner, Jarek Tadla — whom some residents described as a “slumlord” — tenants said conditions at the complex were deplorable and dangerous.
Court filings show that when Madison Real Estate Group took control of the property earlier this month, 42 of the 82 units were vacant. Of those vacant units, 20 were occupied by squatters.
Photos included in court records show apartments filled with trash, drug paraphernalia, and evidence of roach and rodent infestations. The filings also cite drugs and violent crime as major concerns at the property.
“Upon arrival, the property was an active crime scene with police present,” the court filing states. “Residents reported a shooting with two people shot, and management later observed numerous bullet casings left behind.”
Residents said squatters were largely responsible for the criminal activity.
“People just squatting in there,” resident Tony Hannah said.
Hannah said the new management has boarded up the units previously occupied by squatters but noted that crime was not the only issue residents faced.
News4JAX previously reported that a sinkhole estimated to be 12 to 15 feet deep opened in the complex’s parking lot in December. Around the same time, residents said they were without running water for several days.
“It was a real inconvenience,” resident James Scott said. “We had to buy water to wash dishes and to cook with.”
Court documents also reveal that under the previous ownership, more than $150,000 in past-due rent was owed. The filings state there were no known payment plans or eviction proceedings in place at the time.
Despite the challenges, some residents say they are hopeful about the change in ownership.
“Since she took over and started trying to fix things and move people around, it’s been pretty good,” one resident said. “It’s been quiet back here. No apartments being broken into.”
Madison Real Estate Group told News4JAX that significant work is underway to improve the property.
The City of Jacksonville’s Public Nuisance Abatement Board discussed the Grassy Pond Apartments during a meeting on Wednesday and plans to speak with the new owners on Feb. 26. The owners could be required to implement a safety plan within a specific time frame to address issues such as high crime and code violations.