SAN ANTONIO — Renters at a west-side apartment complex said they are living in "deplorable" conditions.
On Thursday, residents gave KENS 5 a tour of their homes at the Bexar Creek Apartments on General McMullen.
In one apartment, mice droppings could be seen piling up on windowsills and in corners. Cockroaches were spotted running along walls and accumulating in traps. Code enforcement slips are stacking up at the home. City inspectors have been out 10 times in the last year.
“Her biggest concern is that she is living in an apartment with her kids that is not even adequate,” said Sofia Lopez, the housing justice director of the Texas Organizing Project (TOP).
Fearing retaliation, tenants asked KENS 5 not to identify them.
A mother said her home is infested with mice and cockroaches. She said she can’t store food safely, and claims mice are constantly getting into her children’s clothing. She keeps laundry in plastic bags so it stays clean.
“We put out mice traps,” she said. “Seconds later, we hear trap after trap after trap going off. On the worst day, there were seven dead mice. I had to call someone to remove them because I didn’t want to touch them. I am afraid the mice will bite my children and child protective services will open a case against me.”
A mouse chewed through her son’s backpack and homework. The family said they are unable to use their oven because it is full of mice. The woman’s oldest son is now covered in rashes.
“When she saw that her son had a rash, she felt helpless,” said Lopez. “Because right now, her children don’t have health insurance.”
Another tenant shared photos of mold on her walls and cupboards.
A third resident said the sound of gunfire is constant.
“I told [the property manager] to put a camera up because people are coming in,” said the woman. “People steal cars and park them here. The gate is always broken. We need security or something.”
Tenants say they are paying more than $1,000 a month to live in squalor. They tell us the property manager is unresponsive and their living conditions are getting worse.
The Michaels Organization owns and manages the property. When asked if the company is aware of infestations, a spokesperson said they were "aware of mice, which we think are the result of the construction on the site next door, and are taking steps to more aggressively resolve this problem.
"The units that have reported mice have been treated," the spokesperson went on to say, "but we are arranging for our pest control service to treat all 72 units more frequently for mice (at least monthly) and to treat the area near the fence line next to the construction. The pest control company is also on site weekly to treat and prevent other insects. The unit that reported water damage has had the infiltration point repaired and we are in the process of evaluating and treating any possible mold or mildew."
The spokesperson also addressed concerns related to how long it is taking to resolve health and safety hazards.
"We did not own or manage the property last year so I cannot speak to [code enforcement] complaints filed last year," the spokesperson told KENS 5. "There have been seven reported incidents over the past two weeks; three of which have been addressed and three more related to residents' inappropriate disposal of trash.
"That was also addressed; we had bulk trash pick-up scheduled for today. We have addressed the infiltration that occurred with the one incident of flooding that we are aware of, but we are talking to all residents to find out who else may be experiencing problems. The gate was damaged by a vehicle and we expected the repair company to be on site this past week but they did not come. We are hopeful they will be able to repair the gate this coming week. Residents can submit work orders at any time. They can also report any concerns to the community manager or maintenance supervisor, and they can use the after-hours line for any emergency situations."
Property management is also working to train staff, the spokesperson said.
"We will have additional maintenance team members onsite next week," the company spokesperson continued. "Next week, The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation will announce the opening of our resident scholarship program for the 2024/2025 academic year. Last year, the foundation provided more than $2million in scholarships. As a new property to the Michaels family, Bexar Creek Apartment residents will have access to this program."
“There are several layers of accountability that need to happen here, starting with the owner of the property, the City of San Antonio, the State of Texas and the federal government,” said Lopez. “At the end of the day, tenants are the ones paying the price.”
Lopez is hopeful new adorable housing developments from a voter-approved bond will give desperate tenants more options. However, she urges the city to improve its existing housing as well.
“There isn’t enough investment,” said Lopez. “There aren’t enough tools in place to make sure that the quality of the housing that exists is what hard working people and their families deserve. Additionally, we need relocation assistance. It’s hard enough for people to find another place that doesn’t have the same issues, and when they do, they often have to come up with first and last month’s rent. That’s hard for families who can barely make their rent payments.”
City Councilwoman Teri Castillo represents the district. On Friday, her office released a statement called the reported conditions "extremely concerning and unacceptable."
"All community members, no matter where they live, deserve safe and quality housing," the statement says. "As a housing organizer, in my first term as a City Council member, I knew it was important to support the creation of a proactive apartment inspection team to investigate issues such as the ones reported at Bexar Creek Apartments. "
Castillo said San Antonio tenant experiencing similar living conditions can call 311, and have the ability to report anonymously. The Neighborhood and Housing Services Department can also provide assistance, and the district office can be contacted at (210) 207-0960.
"We will do our part to help," Castillo said.