MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Residents of an apartment complex that’s under investigation in Byhalia say they’ve been told they’ll have to find another place to live while their unit is being upgraded.
Celia Champion is facing a double dilemma. She’s wondering where and how to move her gravely ill mother Ruby.
“She has terminal liver cancer. She’s on hospice. She decided not to undergo chemotherapy,” she said. “She chose to be at home. This is her home. This is where she wanted to be comfortably. It’s been anything but comfortable.”
Champion says the problem lies right outside of her apartment at the White Oak Estates in Byhalia, Mississippi.
All 25 units are being renovated, and tenants say they have been told they’ll have to move out while work is being done on their apartment.
“They really haven’t said much to us. We were told that we needed to start packing,” Champion said.
Property owners have places portable storage units behind each apartment for residents to load their belongings in, But some say details have been slow to come, no one knows for sure when they’re doing to have to move.
CMS Management of Corinth, Mississippi has recently taken over the complex and is remodeling all of the units. They’re even adding an additional bedroom to some.
“Originally I was told I had about two weeks to get out, which would have been next week. But then, the other day, I think Monday, I was told to be out by Friday,” resident Roger Monk said.
After 15 years here he’s happy to see improvements, but wishes there was better communication.
“We’ve got elderly and disabled. A lot of them, they can’t do this. I don’t know what they’re going to do,” he said.
