City council listens to concerns from tenants at Williamsburg apartments
The water is flowing from the taps once again at the Williamsburg of Cincinnati apartments in Hartwell.
But the crisis of the past few days has resulted in a flood of complaints about living conditions there.
After describing those living conditions to city lawmakers this afternoon, we asked Rhonda Berry-Dear what it's like there.
After a long sigh, she responded: "Hell. Excuse my French, but that's what it is. It's basically hell."
Specifically, rodent infestation, broken sewage lines, mold, poor plumbing and the list goes on from there.
Although the recent waterless days are over, there's a steady stream of fresh complaints, more than two-dozen more since a Monday night gathering of growing concern.
City inspectors have been at the site and have issued numerous code violations over the years.
Berry-Dear believes additional citations won't matter.
"When do you stop issuing and decide this owner is not maintaining his rights and responsibilities to the tenants and do something? The property needs to be shut down. They need to be made to stop leasing units because it's not a safe environment and take care of the issues that you currently have at hand," Berry-Dear said.
That's the message she took to city hall on Wednesday in a desperate plea for intervention.
Per the auditor's website, Williamsburg of Cincinnati in Hartwell has been owned by RRE Williamsburg Holdings, LLC for the past decade.
A message was sent to the property manager but there has been no response so far to our request for comment.
"I'm speaking to you today because there is a city public health emergency at the complex," Berry-Dear said directly to council members.
She issued a public plea for them to take a tour.
"Stop turning your heads to the issues," she implored. "Come out to Williamsburg, walk the property, see it for yourself, speak to the residents, hear their stories. It will break your heart."
Lawmakers know part of this involves absentee ownership.
"And that's an ongoing problem all across the city, is out-of-state, out-of-town landlords who are not taking care of their property," remarked Vice Mayor Jan Michele Kearney.
When asked what can be done about it, she told us, "We have to first check with them and see if they will comply."
Kearney said the city's inspectors and the administration are on it, and that the issues raised are not being ignored by the city.
Lawmakers plan to tour the complex although a date and time have not been worked out yet.
She indicated the city's legal team would advise what the next steps will be.