Local

Commissioners approve money to fix troubled Tymberskan apartments

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Families living in deplorable conditions at the Tymberskan apartments in Orange County will get some of the help they need.

WFTV has covered stories of crime, drug and deplorable living conditions inside the apartments for many years.

County commissioners approved how to spend the first $200,000 to get the complex back on track.

It is public money for the private apartment complex, but WFTV found out Tuesday that commissioners said the conditions are detrimental not only for the families with children who still live there, but for the entire county.

Owner Kenneth Tiedeman said he wants to see change.

"Look at the place. People live here," said Tiedeman.

Tiedeman said he lived through the hurricanes of 2004, and then the housing crash of 2008. He survived, but many did not, and the complex deteriorated.

"The water and the pot holes and get some of these units straightened up and death with," he said.

The years finished off what was already happening: abandoned units turned into drug dens and led to crime.

The money will go to improve conditions not just for families, but also surrounding areas.

"They are coming from people who do not live in Tymberskan that are coming in, causing, creating problems engaging in drugs crime etc., and using vacant buildings as an opportunity," said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.

The first round of money will go toward dealing with the water issue: the complex owes OUC $116,000.

WFTV found out much of that is due to poor water management, which is why the money will go toward installing water shut off valves.

The money would also toward improving the roads for emergency vehicles by filling potholes and providing legal services to deal with foreclosures.

Also included in that plan is tearing down five more buildings that do not mesh with county code.

Because of the proposed money, OUC has agreed to not turn off the water, as long as the complex enters into a payment plan to pay the debt.