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U.S. Senator Marco Rubio says local tenants are living in “life-threatening” conditions

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Concerning Real Estate Assessment Center inspection scores were given to the Eastside Gardens and Eastside Terrace Apartments and come after U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio urged the Department of Housing and Urban Development for updated inspections.

A passing grade is anything above 60, and the Eastside Garden apartment complex received a failing score of 24C/100, while the Eastside Terrace apartment complex scored just a 6C/100. The “C” indicates life-threatening conditions for tenants.

“If they don’t have to live out here, they don’t have to deal with it,” one neighbor told Action News Jax.

A woman who didn’t want to be identified is a mother of three. She said it’s problem after problem with her apartment.

She let us inside, and the conditions weren’t great. When the Action News Jax crew opened the cabinet under her sink, it saw a cockroach moving around.

“Leaking in different parts of the areas of the house — the mice, rats been eating and chewing, making holes coming in,” she said.

Rubio urged HUD for updated inspection scores, and the results are concerning. Action News Jax asked a woman at the leasing office for answers but was told the office is closed Wednesdays and needed to contact the corporate team.

In an email sent to Action News Jax from Rubio’s office, it names Andrew Podray as the property owner of both complexes, putting him on blast and stating in part, “The fact that the slumlord at Eastside Gardens and Eastside Terrace apartments has gotten away with forcing tenants to live in ‘life-threatening’ conditions for this long is stomach-churning.”

Action News Jax tried calling Podray’s last registered number for comment and was sent to voicemail.

Meanwhile, Action News Jax saw black mold, holes in the walls, cabinets and stains in this apartment from what the woman called leaking issues. Even the fan above the stove didn’t work, but she said she’s trying to remain optimistic.

“I want to own my own home someday. I do want better,” she said. “I just be content and try to do the best I can to maintain.”

The property owner is facing more than $300,000 in civil money penalties for each property, totaling approximately $600,000. Action News Jax also reached out to the city to see if code enforcement has been to both complexes within the last three months. It dealt with two cases in May and one so far in July at the Eastside Gardens. Code enforcement has not responded to any issues at Eastside Terrace since April 1.