Huntsville Tenants Allege Landlord Neglect

Huntsville Tenants Allege Landlord Neglect

Residents of the Russel Erskine Hotel Apartment complex in downtown Huntsville, a Section 8 apartment complex, are voicing their concerns over what they describe as persistent maintenance issues and neglect from their landlord, Redwood Housing. The 60-unit complex, located in the former Russel Erskine Hotel building, is subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for low-income residents.

Maintenance Woes

Bobbi Tennyson, a 49-year-old resident who communicated via text due to a speech impairment, revealed that she has been without heating or cooling for a staggering 17 months. Despite her repeated requests for assistance, including messages to her apartment manager, Tennyson has yet to see any resolution to her ongoing maintenance issues.

Donald Shirey, a 58-year-old resident, expressed his frustration over the lack of response from the landlord regarding maintenance concerns. Shirey highlighted that while his air conditioning unit is faulty and constantly running, other residents are facing even more dire situations with no air conditioning at all.

Trash Troubles

Residents like Shelia Stutts are also dealing with additional challenges, such as malfunctioning appliances and door security issues. Stutts, who lost an arm in an accident years ago, shared that her dishwasher stopped working four months ago, making daily tasks more difficult for her.

Additionally, the overflowing dumpster outside the complex has become a point of contention. Despite residents’ attempts to raise the issue with the waste disposal company, Waste Away Dumpster Service & Recycling, little progress has been made in addressing the problem.

Calls for Action

Amidst these mounting concerns, residents are calling on HUD to intervene and compel the landlord to address the pervasive maintenance issues plaguing the apartment complex. Tennyson expressed her frustration with HUD’s lack of inspections and oversight, emphasizing that she has no intention of leaving the premises until the issues are resolved, even if it means staying “in a body bag.”

While HUD regulations stipulate annual inspections and maintenance standards for subsidized housing, the Huntsville Housing Authority has denied any responsibility for overseeing the Russel Erskine Hotel apartments. This has left residents feeling abandoned and without recourse to address their living conditions.

Community Outcry

Donald Shirey encapsulated the sentiments of many residents, describing the living conditions at the Russel Erskine Hotel Apartment complex as “awful” and likening the landlord’s behavior to that of a “slumlord.” With no clear timeline for when these issues will be resolved, residents continue to endure sweltering temperatures and substandard living conditions, amplifying calls for urgent action.

The silence from Redwood Housing and the lack of accountability from regulatory agencies have left vulnerable residents like Bobbi Tennyson, Donald Shirey, and Shelia Stutts feeling unheard and neglected in their own homes.