JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The CEO of a company that owns several HUD units in Jacksonville had his home raided by federal agents in Cleveland this week.
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Now local neighbors living in the units are wondering what might be next for them.
Federal agents raided the home of Millenia CEO Frank Sinito in Cleveland on Thursday. The raid comes nearly a year after Millenia was accused by HUD of improperly handling 147 loans and distributions totaling $4.5 million. The agency disbarred Millenia, prohibiting the company from acquiring any new HUD properties. Here in Jacksonville, Millenia owns four HUD properties, including Calloway Cove, The Weldon, Palmetto Glen and Valencia Way.
Millenia’s properties have had numerous issues over the past several years. Valencia Way is perhaps the most high profile, where residents have complained about poor living conditions. Those complaints prompted US Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) to speak out on several occasions.
“Mold, asbestos, roaches, pests. The refrigerator is not working. The stove is not working. The air-condition. No air-condition. Stuff like that,” said a resident. “How could you get that much money and we’re still living the same way?”
She told Action News Jax conditions at the complex have not seen any improvement over the years.
Millenia has also come into the crosshairs of local officials.
The City of Jacksonville’s Public Nuisance Abatement Board deemed Valencia Way a public nuisance earlier this year.
“Which basically requires them to fix many of the things, especially pertaining to crime and pertaining to the conditions of the buildings themselves,” said Councilmember Tyrona Clack-Murray (D-District 9).
Clark-Murray represents the district covering Valencia Way. She said she’s reached out to several city officials to try and get an understanding of what the raid of the Millenia CEO’s home might mean for residents and wonders whether the company’s legal troubles could create an opportunity for new ownership and a chance for revitalization.
“And we’re improving things right now. We don’t want to wait because, you know, that may be a possibility, but we want to deal in right now, which is a reality. And so we know that JSO has established a station there. We know that JFRD is looking into what changes can be made in the building in order to make it safe, to make it less accessible to those who want to commit crimes,” said Clark-Murray.
Late in the day, Action News Jax received the following statement Marisa T. Darden of Benesch Law, the firm representing Sinito:
Members of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture today executed a search warrant at property owned by Frank Sinito.
It’s important to remember that an investigation is just that. There have been no arrests and no charges filed.
Millenia Housing Development and Mr. Sinito are cooperating with the investigation and have no further comment at this time.
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