JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly 400 people living at Eureka Gardens experienced loss of water and gas over the weekend. The property is government-funded through U.S. Housing of Urban Development or HUD.
According to property management, the problem stems from original pipes that have been in the ground for nearly 50 years. They said repairs require the shutting down of all valves and pipes that are connected.
“This has been an on-going problem. A few months ago, I actually fell through a sinkhole that was caused by a broken sewage line, and I thought I was going to die,” resident MonaLisa Arnold said. “I had to be pulled out by firemen and then taken to the hospital because I had bad cuts and got an infection from the sewage."
Arnold showed emails she sent to Florida’s Governor, Jacksonville’s Mayor and Representatives of HUD, as well as the former councilman for her district.
“The mayor came out today and brought me some bottled water but this place -- we need more than bottled water. We need it to be condemned, torn down and rebuilt, and for HUD to place us somewhere safe in the meantime,” she said.
Arnold said she’s dealt with pests, mold and gun violence in her complex as well.
“Almost every night, I sleep on a spare mattress on the floor because we have people shooting up this complex and my bed is infested with roaches because they won’t come out here to spray for bugs. This isn’t home, this is a prison,” she said.
According to Millenia Properties, repairs can’t be done until they’ve acquired Eureka Gardens from Global Ministries Foundation.
First Coast News reached out to the Governor’s office and HUD representatives after-hours on Monday and are awaiting a response.