MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A new owner plans to take over an Orange Mound apartment complex after it came close to being shut down.
The Kimball Cabana Apartments have had issues for years now, from trash building up to water being consistently shut off.
Many have even acted out against the bad conditions by vandalizing the place.
We’re some of the only guests one tenant is willing to invite there due to the problems outside.
“It’s embarrassing to me, because I don’t let anybody over. I don’t invite anybody over, because it’s too much trash. It’s just filthy,” said ‘Dee.’
You can spot that trash pretty quickly when driving into the apartment complex. That, along with busted out windows, lights and a destroyed mail room that’s been set on fire before.
Dee says it wasn’t like this when she moved in four years ago.
“Everything was nice, but then we got another manager. He did his part, and then it started just going down, down and down. Then it got so far down that it’s too unsanitary to stay here,” she said.
The owners of the complex have been in environmental court since September of 2017 for the poor conditions.
On Wednesday, they were in court again for a new issue: The water was off for about a week.
“If it doesn’t come on, we can’t take a bath. We can’t do nothing,” Dee said.
Code enforcement recommended shutting the entire place down. The judge overseeing the case said he didn’t like that idea since it would put the 40 families that live there out on the streets.
Instead, the owner said he’s selling it.
WREG’s Bridget Chapman asked the owner, Allen Walsh, why he waited so long to sell the place.
“We’ve been trying to do that all along for awhile,” said Walsh.
The judge had Walsh transfer MLGW services into the future owner’s name, Chuck Parker, in court on Wednesday.
Parker says he’s confident he’ll fix these up.
“That’s what we look for, is a place where we can go in, correct the issues, take care of it, still keep the rent reasonable and give then a nice and safe place to live,” said Parker.
The water’s now back on, but there’s still a long road ahead of them.
We asked what Walsh wants to say to the tenants.
“I’m sorry it didn’t work,” he answered. “I’m sorry for your inconvenience. I hope this new owner is back to put things back together.”
They’ll be back in court next week for an update on the progress they’re making in restoring the complex.