'The city don't care, the government don't care. Don't nobody care,' Problems continue at Creekside Apartments
Firefighters responded to a morning fire at a notorious southwest Oklahoma City apartment complex. Tenants of the Creekside Apartments told KFOR this is just one more problem to add to their long list of concerns.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Firefighters responded to a morning fire at a notorious southwest Oklahoma City apartment complex. Tenants of the Creekside Apartments told KFOR this is just one more problem to add to their long list of concerns.
"Everyone is saying like, 'F*** it.' You know what I'm saying? They don't care, putting us out, so why not? You know? Burn it up," said Chardine Bowen, a resident at the Creekside Apartments.
Just before 8 a.m. Monday, Oklahoma City firefighters said a fire broke at the apartment complex, near Southwest 59th and Agnew.
"We did find there were two units involved," said Battalian Chief Paul Nash, with the OKC Fire Dept. "It looks like there's going to be six that are displaced out of three different units."
There were no injuries and so far the cause is undetermined.
"It's not caused by gas because we don't have no gas," said Bowen. "They turned our gas off a year ago."
Bowen said she has lived at the Creekside Apartments for three years, including while News 4 reported on several issues while under the ownership of Jose Belman, of Capital Homes Investment LLC, based in California. Those issues range from no air conditioning, horrific plumbing, and the city deeming them unsafe.
In March, a nearby daycare was impacted by the tenant's trash piling up. Belman originally told us the dumpsters were taken away because of a billing problem.
The city cleaned it up, but there are still no dumpsters. Bowen said the residents have since found another place to put their trash.
"Our trash is going into abandoned apartments. I mean, that's just crazy," said Bowen.
Bowen said about 10 people at the complex have a lease. Others are squatters. No one is paying rent. The only utilities they have are electricity and running water.
"We had to find a way to get our water back on," said Bowen.
Court documents show Belman hadn't made a payment in more than a year. An Oklahoma County Judge appointed a receivership out of Kansas to take over.
Tenants didn't know the new owners, but they said they got a letter to be out by June 6th. News 4 asked for a copy, but none of the residents could provide one.
"The new management people say they just going to cut off everything. The electricity. And that's their way of getting us out of here," said Bowen. "Then y'all not even finding us a place to go, you're just kicking us out and that's it."
For Chardine and many of the other residents, it's either the Creekside Apartments or a tent at a homeless camp.
"Why not fight for something? If we allow it, then they're going to do what they want. Like put us out on June 6th," said Chardine. "The city don't care. The government don't care. Don't nobody care."
News 4 reached out to Belman for comment, but did not hear back.
We left a message for the attorneys that represent the receivership, but they were gone for memorial day.