MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In what has sometimes felt like an ongoing drama concerning mold, bed bugs and the lack of air conditioning at Serenity Towers, some residents recently told WREG there are finally signs of progress.
Once again, attorneys for Serenity Towers and the District Attorney’s Office were back in Environmental Court to update the judge.
“We’re making progress on the issue of mold, air conditioning and bed bugs, but until we secure that place, the residents who live there will continue to have problems with criminal elements coming in there to conduct criminal activity,” Michael McCusker said.
Unrelated to the case, the D.A.’s Office said they recently found a lack of adequate security for residents creating problems such as prostitution, along with squatters and the homeless illegally moving into the building.
“The door was wide open,” McCusker said. “There’s trash all over the floor. The residents were explaining to me at night they come in here and they squat. They do drugs or prostitution goes on.”
Those claims seem to catch Serenity’s attorneys by surprise.
“First time I’ve heard of it,” Ben Sissman said. “And we’ll go work on it.”
The hope is to increase security as Serenity Towers deal with what appears to be a new set of problems.
“Take care of the environmental problems, and let’s get them security so they won’t be prey to crime and squatting,” McCusker said.
Attorneys are scheduled to return to Environmental Court Thursday.