MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On Wednesday there was more outcry against the embattled Global Ministries Foundation as protesters gathered at one of their housing locations near the University of Memphis.
Serenity Towers was the site of a code enforcement raid last month. On Wednesday protesters called for more to be done to keep the tenants from living in filth.
The majority of the protesters were from the Mid-South Peace and Justice organization because they said tenants are too afraid to come forward with their problems.
They believe there aren’t enough code enforcement officers, and they want tenants to have a chance to have their voices heard.
If you drove down Highland near the University of Memphis Wednesday afternoon, chances are you saw the protesters, armed with poster boards and lining the road.
Cynthia Crawford was one of them. She wanted to speak for those in Serenity Towers who can’t.
“A lot of them here are completely bedridden,” she said.
Crawford is a resident of the Warren apartments, another GMF property that HUD declared was so bad people couldn’t even live there, but she wanted to show her support, too, as she stood outside of the towers.
“Where our most vulnerable of citizens are living.”
According to the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, the city of Memphis does not have enough code enforcement officers to hold these large apartment complexes accountable.
“This city couldn’t get by with 50 police officers, it couldn’t get by with 50 sanitation workers, it couldn’t get by with 50 firefighters, but somehow we’re expected to get by with 50 code officers?” questioned Brad Watkins, the president of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center.
Watkins said the issue at hand goes beyond Serenity Towers. He’s calling for the tenants to get involved. He wants them to have the opportunity to work with code enforcement officers.
“Tenants inside the units forming tenant union association and members of those tenant association become reserve code officers,” he said.
He said the ordinance was already previously sponsored by Mayor Jim Strickland when he was a council member. However, now it needs to be put into play.
WREG reached out to the city for a comment but did not hear back.
A spokesperson with GMF said they have spent $200,000 to try to eradicate the bedbugs at the complex. The organization said they recognize there are still about 95 that still have possible issues with bed bugs.
They also said last week GMF ordered brand-new mattresses, box springs and bed frames to offer residents at no charge. The new beds are due to be delivered this week.