‘It is unacceptable:’ Sen. Rubio demands action be taken over conditions at Jacksonville apartment complex

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is taking action to help residents living in “unsanitary conditions” at the Hilltop Village Apartments in Jacksonville’s Moncrief area.

His staff recently took a visit to the complex Monday after several residents reached out about what they were experiencing at their apartment homes.

Rubio said they found evidence of a serious rodent issue as well an overflow of trash throughout the complex.

In a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge, Rubio brought attention to the poor living conditions at the complex and demanded action be taken immediately.

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“I write to direct your attention to unsafe and unsanitary living conditions that my constituents are currently facing at Hilltop Village Apartments in Jacksonville, Florida,” Rubio wrote. “After receiving outreach directly from affected residents, my staff visited the facility on May 3, 2021. During these visits, my staff met with tenants and found disturbing evidence of a severe rodent infestation and chronic garbage overflow throughout the entire property. Tenants continue to find rodents inside of bedding, kitchen cabinets, indoor furniture, bathrooms, and more generally.”

Last week, Rubio also sent a similar letter to HUD regarding the living environment of two other Jacksonville complexes: Eastside Terrace Apartments and Eastside Gardens Apartments.

The senator has called on the HUD secretary to resume affordable housing inspections of HUD assisted-properties.

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The inspections have been put on hold since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read Rubio’s full letter to HUD’s secretary below:

“Dear Secretary Fudge:

I write to direct your attention to unsafe and unsanitary living conditions that my constituents are currently facing at Hilltop Village Apartments in Jacksonville, Florida. After receiving outreach directly from affected residents, my staff visited the facility on May 3, 2021. During these visits, my staff met with tenants and found disturbing evidence of a severe rodent infestation and chronic garbage overflow throughout the entire property. Tenants continue to find rodents inside of bedding, kitchen cabinets, indoor furniture, bathrooms, and more generally.

While Hilltop Village Apartments reportedly passed its last Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) inspection on December 2, 2015, it has not been inspected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since then. This would appear to violate HUD’s Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS), which states that this property should have received another inspection in 2017. Additionally, the property has not been inspected by HUD despite the filing by tenants of numerous formal complaints to the City of Jacksonville Code Enforcement Department since 2019, and the City’s subsequent communication of these complaints to HUD.

It is unacceptable that the residents of Hilltop Village Apartments have been obligated to live under these conditions, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents should not have to wait almost six years between safety and sanitation inspections to be guaranteed appropriate living conditions.

I request immediate action to ensure that constituents are guaranteed the safe and sanitary living conditions they are afforded by law. This must include an immediate REAC inspection to update the inspection score of the property as well as requiring remediation measures to ensure the rodent infestation is swiftly and completely resolved. I also request that a Management and Occupancy Review be performed and the enforcement of any applicable penalties on ownership or management for failure to comply.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to working with HUD to protect the people and families at Hilltop Village Apartments.”

This isn’t the first time Rubio has stepped in to help residents living in poor conditions in Jacksonville.

Action News Jax reported in 2016 when Rubio testified in Washington on behalf of residents of Eureka Gardens Apartments, now known as Valencia Way apartments, for the complex’s deplorable conditions.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Cox Media Group