TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A rundown apartment complex in Tampa is getting a makeover. For months, people at the Courtyards on the River in Tampa tell 8 On Your Side they dealt with mold, broken balconies, and leaky roofs.
“When it rains, it pours,” resident Nikesha Yarbrough said. “It’s just old stuff. An old, old building,” she said.
So old and rundown that city documents show some residents had to leave the Courtyards on the River complex. When things got bad, city code enforcement officers moved in.
“We received some complaints and initially we went in and investigated,” said Sal Ruggiero of the Tampa Neighborhood Enhancement Division.
What they found was described as “deplorable.” But at the same time, came a glimmer of hope. City documents show Franklin Street Management recently took over and the city officials told workers to clean up the place or face fines.
8 On Your Side stopped by and found crews hard at work, fixing roofs and making other repairs.
“If you want to own an apartment complex in the City of Tampa, we’re going to hold you to the standards,” Ruggiero said.
Nikesha Yarbrough is happy to hear that. “We’re hoping to see change,” she said. “We’re hoping to see good living conditions.”
The complex manager didn’t respond to 8 On Your Side’s request for comment.
