Residents claim Orange Co. apartments ridden with roaches, mold

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Residents at an Orange County apartment complex told WFTV that they're  being forced to live with roaches, mold and unsafe conditions.

The accusations at the Washington Shore Village Apartments came after the city gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the owners to fix up another one of their properties.

On Monday, residents went to city commissioners asking for help.

“This is possibly the worst condition apartment complex in Orlando,” said Josh Paladino of the Orange Renters Community Association. “We have bugs and roaches, mold.”

Residents agree they're living in horrible conditions.

Channel 9’s Myrt Price found boarded up windows, doors falling off the hinges, streets with crater-sized potholes and plenty of other issues at the complex on Monday.

Soloman and Jimmy Yukens own the complex and a number of other properties in Orlando. At one time, they were even given $300,000 in grant money to fix up one of their properties.

While the residents went to the commissioners for help, some accused them of not caring, which didn't sit well with commissioner Daisy Lynum.

“That is not fair to come here and say things that are not true,” Lynum said.

Lynum said the city can’t just condemn any building, and she told the group they should check with code enforcement to see what's already in the works.

Channel 9 tried to talk with the apartment’s management, but no one would do an interview.

Price also learned the company that owns the complex has filed for bankruptcy.  Residents said they believe that’s why the management refused to take care of all the problems.

Many said they’re forced to live in the conditions, because they can’t afford to move.

WFTV