JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Families in a community plagued with sewage issues are now able to breathe a sigh of relief.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
It’s been an emotional roller coaster for people at Blanchard Apartments in Love Grove.
“Honestly, I just felt like a burden’s been lifted off my shoulders,” Rozlynne Jackson said. “It’s a relief, because I really didn’t know where I was gonna go.”
Many people did not know whether or not they’d be able to stay in their homes. Action News Jax’s Meghan Moriarty has been on top of this issue since last Wednesday.
Related Story: Tenants allowed back on previously condemned property, but still facing power issues
Johnson has lived at Blanchard for a year. She likes the complex because it’s affordable and close to her son’s school.
“I wanted to stay on this side because my son goes to Englewood, and he plays varsity basketball,” Johnson said. “I don’t wanna take him out of that, especially with this being his last year.”
Tenants said they’ve been complaining to their property manager for the last month — some even longer — about raw sewage issues. It got so bad, the City of Jacksonville’s social service team came out with septic-tank trucks to clean up the mess.
Here is a timeline of what we learned and when:
Oct. 26, 2022: Residents were told the property was condemned by the city
Oct. 27, 2022: We learned the property owner, Brian Lozito, was in jail. He owed JEA more than $7,400 in unpaid bills. Lozito violated his parole on a child abuse charge.
Oct. 28, 2022: The City said water quality levels were back to normal, but the JEA bill needed to be paid by Nov. 4.
Read: Walmart rolling Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner staples back to 2021 prices
Nov. 4, 2022: JEA notified Action News Jax that the bill was paid in full.
It was the good news Jackson had been waiting for.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
“This is great news, so I’m actually about to call my mom right now,” Jackson said.
