JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville woman says squatters have taken over her Westside apartment complex and the landlord isn’t doing anything about it.
Those apartments are on Wilson Boulevard in Cedar Hills.
“I am not safe in my home. I am not safe,” Karen Jennings says.
Jennings has been living at 6259 Wilson Blvd since 2022. She says she first noticed the squatters staying at the complex in 2023.
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“I’ve been experiencing a lot of men on the premises that don’t stay here, and they’re looking and watching to see when we leave and when we come home, which I don’t like because I live by myself, and also that when we throw trash in the trash can, they are in the can before you even get to the dumpster,” Jennings said.
Karen gave us a tour of the building. We saw the windows and doors boarded up, and some of the doors to the apartment were wide open. Inside of them, dirt and debris, and clutter.
I reached out to the city to see if the property had any code enforcement citations. They sent me back an over 100-page document with every citation made for the property – noting that in 2025 alone, there were 32 code enforcement citations.
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From January 1st 2025 through February 25th 2026 — JSO has been called six times to this building for complaints about squatters…including a call from Jennings this week.
“I had laid down and I woke up to the fire truck. Squatters had them set the building on fire with me in my bed asleep,” Jennings said.
The building is now owned by Legacy Family Communities LLC; it used to be owned by People’s Choice Apartments LLC.
Jennings sent numerous emails to the leasing office, concerned about the squatters. We asked her if the complex ever did anything about it. She said, “no ma’am.”
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I went to speak with Legacy Family Communities in person. I also sent them an email asking for a statement about the squatters. They told me no one was available to talk at that time.
Jennings says after the fire, JSO cleared out all of the squatters in the building, but she doesn’t think she’ll be without neighbors for long.
“They’ll be back, baby; they will be back. Trust me, they’ll be back,” Jennings said.
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