Action News Jax investigation leads to class action lawsuit at Jacksonville apartment complex

A Jacksonville apartment complex at the center of an Action News Jax investigation is now being sued by tenants for claims of deplorable living conditions, backed up sewage and a roof cave-in.

From sewage backing up into children’s rooms to ceilings caving in and even buildings being condemned, tenants at Camelot Gardens Apartments said they have had enough.

STORY: Jacksonville mother upset after raw sewage backs up in her bathtub

“We all have proof showing that this is a huge problem, so something needs to change,” tenant, Teshanna Jordan said.

That change is now in the form of a class action lawsuit filed against the property management company of the complex.

“This suit primarily was filed to address condition issues we are seeing at the property,” attorney, Adam Thoresen said.

Thoresen is one of the attorneys on the case.

He said due to the number of complaints made to the city and code violations found at the complex, the lawsuit is necessary for the people who live there.

“They deserve safe, stable housing with appropriate services,” Thoresen said.

Action News Jax first reported in May, the city received more than 100 complaints at the complex within the past year.

Tierra Byrd was one of the tenants who complained and even reached out to Action News Jax after sewage backed up into her apartment.

“There’s no need to temporarily bandage issues,” Byrd said.

Another tenant listed in the lawsuit said her ceiling caved in and she claimed it took the complex 30 days to fix it.

“No one should live like this, especially if you have children,” Jordan said.

Action News Jax Danielle Avitable tried speaking with a manager about the lawsuit and waited outside for her to come out, but moments later an employee kicked her off the property.

“I’m not giving you a statement on anything, but you can get off my property,” the employee said.

The attorneys behind the lawsuit said the tenants deserve a safe place to live and that’s the overall goal.

“We hope the courts helps us shut this place down,” attorney, Max Story said.

The property management company has 20 days to file a written response to the complaint before the lawsuit can move forward in court.

Our investigation also uncovered two other lawsuits against the management company of Camelot Gardens Apartments just this year.

The city of Jacksonville filed a lawsuit in January for illegal dumping of sewage.

And another tenant filed a lawsuit in July and claimed he is still being charged for rent, although his apartment was condemned.

Cox Media Group