Federal housing officials have ordered the nonprofit owner of a Lafayette housing complex to present plans to address unsafe conditions at the site and potentially relocate residents.
In an Aug. 5 letter, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development notified the leadership of the Agape Himbola Manor Inc., the owner of Himbola Manor Apartments, that the nonprofit is in default of its Section 8 contract with the federal housing authority. The contract requires owners in the program to provide residents with “decent, safe and sanitary” living conditions.
HUD sent two letters to Agape Himbola Manor on Aug. 5, both prompted by a July 30 onsite visit resulting from years of residents’ complaints about deplorable living conditions at the Martin Luther King Drive apartment complex.
State Rep. Tehmi Chassion, who has worked in recent weeks with local residents and HUD to resolve the issues at Himbola, says he does not want to see Section 8 payments suspended. “I am worried they are going to have to completely gut some buildings though,” Chassion says. “I want it fixed no matter what. No one should have to live in those conditions.”
Addressing the letters to David Starr, the Texas-based developer in charge of Agape Himbola Manor, HUD set two time limits to meet, including an Aug. 19 deadline to submit a thorough action plan to correct numerous violations and “serious deficiencies” at the complex.
HUD officials worked alongside Lafayette Consolidated Government code inspectors at a July 30 followup inspection of the troubled property. LCG officials took approximately 900 photographs likely to show little to no improvement in horrible conditions at the 136-unit complex, despite LCG’s months-long effort to force Starr to address numerous violations of the city’s Property Maintenance Code.
Residents have complained of mold, inoperable air conditioners, lack of natural gas to operate stoves, plumbing backing up in bathtubs, rain pouring into their apartments and water leaking from light fixtures.
Lafayette has virtually no other affordable housing available should residents be forced to leave.
In the letter concerning the Section 8 contract, HUD is giving Starr’s company 30 days to meet a series of requirements to remediate problems at the complex, including “100% survey of the entire Project, identifying all deficiencies of units and exterior of buildings,” along with a plan to accommodate the potential relocation of tenants directly affected by ongoing remediation efforts.
The letter informs Starr that HUD has “flagged” him and any other business entities responsible for the project, a designation that adversely affects his ability to participate in HUD programs. If the 30-day deadline is not met, HUD says it may suspend housing assistance payments to the owner.
Starr must also:
• Submit an “organic growth” third party licensed report of all units. Every unit will need to be tested for organic growth and a remediation plan will need to be submitted to HUD.
• Submit documentation from a licensed contractor demonstrating that all interior kitchen and bathroom fixtures plumbing lines have been inspected for leaks. Provide the results and a plan of action to address all deficiencies.
• Submit documentation from a licensed roofing company demonstrating that all building roofs have been inspected for leaks. Provide the results and plan of action to address all deficiencies.
In a separate “site visit deficiency letter” to Starr that referenced “repeated deficiencies,” HUD put a tighter deadline on the property owner, requiring a thorough action plan that includes those same requirements be submitted by Aug. 19. In that letter, HUD noted the numerous areas of concern from the July 30 site visit, including:
• Metal stairwells showing signs of corrosion.
• Visible roof leaks throughout all buildings.
• Some units showing clear signs of water damage/organic growth throughout.
• Signs of deferred maintenance, lack of housekeeping throughout property.
• Signs of pest infestation in many of the units/buildings.
• Organic growth visible in multiple units.
• A high level of criminal activity at the property.
Starr’s representative did not respond to a Thursday request for comment before press time.
This is a developing story.