Orlando complex dealing with serious mold problems again

ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando apartment complex is dealing with serious mold problems again.

WFTV first highlighted the issues at the Catalina Isles Condominiums along LB McLeod Road, near John Young Parkway, about two years ago.

Channel 9's Ryan Hughes found out the mold is back and residents said the city isn't doing anything to help.

The city found hundreds of code violations about two years ago.

Some residents said it's gotten so bad again that they want the city to shut the place down.

WFTV visited the Orlando apartment complex last year and the first thing our crews noticed was weeds growing from mold.

One year later, and there's still mold in some units.

"The problems that exist were here when I got here, and so forth. Nothing has been done," said resident Jim Dandy.

Some units have actually gotten worse. After a rain storm, a hole formed in the ceiling and then came the mold.

John Gelzer took pictures of the problems in his apartment.

"All that stuff came down on me, 'Bam!' and nobody fixed anything," he said.

A city spokeswoman told WFTV that Orlando code enforcement officers came to the complex this week and again on Friday after getting a complaint about the issues.

The homeowner's association and individual unit owners were cited and have 30 days to fix the problems.

Resident Deena Scott has an idea of her own that she wants city leaders to consider.

"Condemn it. They need to condemn the place. Quit patching it up, Band-Aid it. Go ahead and condemn this place," said Scott.

Since last year, at least one unit was gutted, but it remains uninhabitable.

In March 2011, the city found hundreds of code violations and it appears some of the problems were simply never fixed or just got worse.

"What did they do to your place?" Hughes asked.

"Nothing, they didn't do anything," said resident Carrie Heard.

If the problems aren't fixed, tenants will likely have to go before the city code board.

It appears the responsibility to fix things lies with the owners and the homeowners association.

WFTV