People living at a Fort Myers apartment complex say they are fed up with the deplorable living conditions.
Residents say Cypress Courts Apartments are infested with rats, roaches, and mold, and management isn't doing much to clean up.
"They don't put any money into the property," said Taytityana Tarver.
Taytityana Tarver has lived at Cypress Courts Apartments for the past three years with her 9-year-old son.
"There's mold in my bathtub and around the light in the kitchen," said Tarver.
But she's not alone; other residents also told Fox 4 mold is invading their apartments, making them sick.
One mother says when she turns off the air conditioner, within minutes, it's hard to breathe from the smell of the mold and no matter how often she cleans it, it comes right back.
But mold is not the only issue Tarver says is plaguing the apartment complex; she says the main problem is the rats.
No matter how clean she keeps her apartment, Tarver says the rats and roaches wreak havoc, getting into food and on her furniture.
Tarver also claims management isn't taking repairs seriously.
"They came yesterday and put rat traps by everybody's stove, but I don't know how long that's going to last," said Tarver.
The Fort Myers' low-income apartment complex is listed as a Housing and Urban Development property (HUD).
However, while privately owned, Fort Myers Councilwoman Teresa Watkins-Brown says the complex still needs to meet city codes.
Councilwoman Watkins-Brown says when she first became aware of these issues last week, she immediately contacted the city manager.
"That's what I've requested the city manager to do, to have our code enforcement go in and inspect each unit," said Watkins-Brown.
Councilwoman Watkins-Brown says based on the outcome of those inspections; the city can take more action.
The first step would be to allow the property owner to fix any issues uncovered during the inspections.
If the property owner doesn't comply, Councilwoman Watkins-Brown says the city can contact HUD, who could then cut funding for the complex until the complex complies.
But to get anything accomplished, Councilwoman Watkins-Brown says they need residents to allow them inside their units.
"We need the help of the residents that are living there to work with the city and assist the city in seeing what exactly is going on," said Watkins-Brown.
As for Tarver, she worries the complex is too far gone for repairs.
"These [apartments] need to get knocked down and rebuilt, that's the only way these rats are going to go out," said Tarver.
Worried about her 9-year-old son's safety, Tarver says she has started to look at other options but is currently limited on options.
"I'm on the waiting list at other places, but that takes time," said Tarver.
Management at Cypress Courts Apartments declined to comment as of Tuesday afternoon.
