'It's unsanitary as well as unsafe': Receiver of troubled Creekside Apartments gives tenants more time to evict, brings in help
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Tuesday was supposed to be moving day for residents living at the troubled Creekside Apartments in Southwest OKC. The new receiver chose to bring in the Homeless Alliance to help residents find alternatives and push back the eviction date while residents look for other options.
"It's unsanitary as well as unsafe," said Steven Martens, the new receiver of the Creekside Apartments near Southwest 59th and Agnew. "We need to begin to get the people out and have them relocate."
According to court documents, an Oklahoma County judge named Steven Martens as the receiver of the apartments after the previous owner, Jose Belman of Capital Homes Investment LLC, didn't make a payment in over a year.
The apartment has serious code violations. News 4 has reported on several issues including horrific plumbing problems, no air conditioning in the hot summer months, trash piling up after dumpsters were removed due to billing issues, and the city deeming them unsafe.
"We don't have trash cans, so of course everything is going into abandoned apartments so that it's not just strung out everywhere," said Crystal, a resident. "We don't have gas, but we all kind of make that work and we all cook electric."
Crystal told News 4 she has a lease, but many people who live at the apartment complex are squatting.
"When you get comfortable in an area and you get to know people around you, it's a safer zone for you," said Crystal.
Martens said last month, the residents and squatters received a notice that said they needed to be out by June 6th. Some residence said they got the letter, many said they got a notice with no date, others said they didn't receive a note at all.
"Not everybody got that letter," said Crystal.
"It didn’t have no dates what-so-ever," said a tenant that goes by "Bird" who told News 4 he did have a letter on his door.
"I haven’t ever been told I have to be out of here by today," said a resident who did not want to tell News 4 her name.
While he was at the apartment complex, several residents told Martens what they've been through and that they need more time.
"If we have like two weeks here, I think everybody would be out of here," Crystal told Martens. "Everyone's put their application in for their apartment, so they're waiting for them."
Martens said he knew this was many resident's only option. That's why he asked the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance to join him while going through the apartment complex.
"He chose to try to find a way to help people, recognizing that our resources are limited," said Dan Straughan, the executive director of the alliance.
Straughan told News 4 beds are limited, shelters across the city are full, and there is a long waiting list for section 8 housing. However, the homeless alliance still has services that can help Creekside residents.
"You get meal service and and then you're also get in case management, you know, somebody to help you get into more permanent housing to address," said Straughan.
"Until we can get the people out of this unsafe environment, it's going to be very difficult to keep things picked up and monitored," said Martens.
Martens said he's going to be checking back in over the next couple of weeks, because they need to get the ball rolling.
In the meantime, his Kansas-based company may start boarding up the outer apartments.