Family displaced by fire facing eviction from new apartment

A family displaced by a Southside apartment fire just weeks ago said they’re now facing eviction from their new unit because they can’t pay the rent.

The flames forced 28 people at Pointe Sienna Apartments out of their homes on April 7.

“At this point, we don’t know what to do,” said Dijana, who doesn’t want to use her last name because she fears retaliation.

The mother of two is facing eviction.

She and her family were relocated to a new unit at Pointe Sienna Apartments after their old one was destroyed in the fire.

Her rent was due on Sunday, and she can’t pay it.

Dijana said her husband can’t work because all his equipment is trapped in their old apartment.

“My husband, he’s a musician. In the apartment, he has so many professional keyboards. One keyboard is like $4,000,” said Dijana.

She said she was furious when she saw a Salvation Army truck load up donations from the community in the leasing office and take them away.

Property manager Felicia Barney hid from Action News Jax’s camera, but answered all our questions once we put the camera away.

Once we stopped recording, Barney said the Salvation Army was there to pick up unwanted donations like soiled clothes and broken dishes.

A spokesman for the Salvation Army told Action News Jax it has no record of picking up donations there. Barney showed us Salvation Army receipts of the pickup.

Boxes of donations are still waiting in the leasing office for tenants to pick up.

As for the rent, Barney said this is a business and recommends that family seek financial assistance from outside agencies.

Barney said the building that caught fire was condemned, but Dijana’s husband still went inside to retrieve some of their belongings.

Cox Media Group