Story Created:
Jul 6, 2009 at 5:50 PM CST
Story Updated:
Jul 6, 2009 at 5:51 PM CST
An update tonight on a story we first brought you last week. A Sioux Falls woman called us, saying there was mold in her apartment complex, duct tape holding plumbing together and unsafe fire exits.
This afternoon, four members of Sioux Falls Housing and a couple of people from Dakotabilities were at the Greenway Apartments. They all met in the apartments lobby to discuss the issues that the residents had about the complex.
Greenway Apartments resident, Pat Lamb said, "They weren't listening and now at least they're listening and hearing what we had to say." After Pat Lamb left this afternoon's meeting to address the issues of mold and other problems at the Greenway Apartments she still wasn't overly satisfied. "I'm not sure, I guess I'll believe it when I see it. They've said so many times they're going to fix things and nope, I don't know whether or not to believe them anymore."
Representatives from Sioux Falls Housing wouldn't do an on camera interview but told me. "Sioux Falls Housing is going to make any necessary repairs as needed. Part of the problem is we didn't know that there were problems. If renters have issues they need to make sure they contact us to let us know what the issues are."
Sioux Falls Housing says some of the issues may already be resolved or weren't issues at all, they say the duct tape plumbing is in fact a special tape to protect wheel chair users from the heat.
They said that the black marks on the ceilings aren't mold but in fact smoke from candles and they say that the fire exits are all approved from the Sioux Falls Fire Department.
There may be some other problems and Sioux Falls Housing says they will look into them and Pat says she'll believe it when she sees it. "I'm just real skeptical. They open their mouth but it just doesn't ring true."
Another issue that came up were doors and windows that need to be replaced which Sioux Falls Housing and some of the residents both agree need replacing. But instead Sioux Falls Housing says that money will now go to a mold inspector to take a look and see if there is a problem.
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