JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — People living in one apartment complex on the Northside are demanding answers about why their complaints about suspected mold are not being addressed.
“I do not feel safe,” said Lee Jones.
Lee moved into Breakwater Studios earlier this year. She says since she moved in in April, she’s been dealing with mold issues in her apartment.
“Had I known that they had a mold issue and they know they have it, I would have never chose to move in here.”
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Lee is not alone. She says her daughter Arlene, who lives two doors down from her with three kids, including a 10-month-old, has also been dealing with what she believes to be mold in her apartment. Arlene was at work and wasn’t available to speak with Action News Jax, but Lee gave us a tour of her daughter’s apartment so we could see for ourselves.
When we walked in, we could see what appeared to be mold lining the perimeter of the ceiling.
Pictures sent to us by another resident, Marilynn Johnson, also show mold spread all over the walls in her unit.
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Marilynn, Lee, and Arlene all sent in several maintenance requests asking management to fix the mold issues in their apartments. On Lee and Arlene’s portal, it says their requests have been completed. Lee told us she was given a bottle of mildew/mold spray to clean it herself and maintenance came this week to spray her apartment. However, Lee claims the issue hasn’t been resolved, and she’s worried about her health.
“I’m a kidney donor and my granddaughter is only 10 months old and a 3-year-old, we’re just concerned,” said Lee Jones.
Lee provided a copy of her lease, which reads in part:
“DO NOT CLEAN OR APPLY BIOCIDES TO: “(1) visible mold on porous surfaces, such as sheetrock walls or ceilings, or (2) large areas of visible mold on non-porous surfaces. Instead, notify us in writing, and we will take appropriate action.”
The property manager of Breakwater Studios told Action News Jax they do not have a mold issue, but they have a mildew issue. We reached out to the owners of the complex to confirm that, but have not yet heard back.
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