Leaks in a downtown apartment damage a resident's apartment

• The management company, Wise Owl Properties, claimed to have resolved the issues, but several violations remained unaddressed.
• The city inspected the building and found that five violations needed to be corrected by Oct. 27.
• There are several problems in Syl's apartment, including clogged drains, water damage and unsanitary conditions.
• Syl advocates for proper repairs to ensure safe living conditions for all residents.

TRANSCRIPT:

Last week KMTV caught up with Syl Johnson, he lives in the Securities Building downtown, he says a leak first appeared in his kitchen, then another in his bedrooms.

“Why did it go from a very small problem with leaking water to a damn hole in my wall that could probably fit four people through?,” Johnson said.

Johnson set up camp in his living room and slept on an air mattress. He said management failed to fix the problem for almost a month. Text messages to his landlord show he reported the leak on September 7th and again on September 8th and 21st.

“They wanted to replace it, or we could come in and just add more drywall. What! Tell me you’re going to put some molded drywall, some good drywall on the molded,” Johnson said.

His concerns are not just for himself, but also for other residents who he believes are struggling with similar issues.

“You need to condemn this place and make sure no one stays here because as you can see, you don't even know where the pipes are leaking from because as we're still seeing, they're still leaking and there's no stopping the water,” Johnson said.

But the hardest thing for him to see is his son's room: a hole in the ceiling, drywall on the floor and a small plastic sheet covered in yellow liquid, he says, dripping from the ceiling.

“That stuff could have fallen on my son’s head,” Johnson said.

The leaks aren't the only problems in his unit. Records from a city inspection dated Sept. 26 show 5 violations:

• Drain in the bathtub clogged
• Signs of water damage on the bathroom ceiling
• Dirty vents
• Unhygienic water on the carpet and walls due to leaks in the bedrooms
• Signs of water damage on the kitchen ceiling

KMTV called Wise Owl Properties for property management and said the issues at Johnson's apartment have been “resolved” and they would have no further comment at this time.

Hannah McIlree

But after KMTV returned to Johnson's home on Wednesday in October, two multiple violations had not been addressed.

“Well, considering I still sleep in the front room with my air mattress, my room still has, you know, that mold down there,” Johnson said.

Some progress has been made in Johnson's son's room, with some repairs to the ceiling, but he says the rest of the repairs are still in place.

“I speak out for everyone who doesn’t want to say anything. But while I'm in this situation, this needs to be sorted out and then everyone else can live in peace because it's not right,” Johnson said.

According to city planning department documents, Wise Owl Properties has until Oct. 27 to make repairs to the unit.