STUART, Fla. -- Residents of the Astorwood Apartment complex in Stuart learned they may have to keep living in unsafe conditions for up to 18 more months.
A spokesman for the City of Stuart says the complex has more than 19 code violations, ranging from rodents to mold and electrical issues.
Danger signs were posted on one building in the complex in July.
By the end of October, every building in the complex, impacting nearly 40 families, was listed as dangerous.
Friedman Integrated Real Estate, the property management company, was supposed to have a hearing before a judge Thursday to address their plan to bring the buildings up to code.
RELATED: Hearing delayed concerning Stuart's Astorwood Apartments
To residents’ disappointment, that hearing was delayed. “We knew that we didn’t have any say in [the hearing], but at least we could have gotten real information. To us that’s just another thing they’ve put off,” said resident Dawn Cline.
Cline says there has been minimal communication from management to residents about what will be repaired and when.
“People are moving out left and right because they just can’t handle it,” Cline said.
One resident said they were being evicted because they stopped paying rent once they learned they were living in conditions that did not meet city code requirements.
“I recently just sent a letter to Senator Rubio asking him, now that he’s not so busy, to please come help us,” Cline said.
A city spokesman said the hearing will be rescheduled for some time in December. The attorneys for the apartment complex management needed more time to put their 18-month plan on paper.
There will also be specific repair deadlines they will have to accomplish throughout those 18-months to avoid paying a fine.
Cline says she will be making moving arrangements soon, but management is not making the move easy on residents.
They still have to pay to break their lease
“We have zero trust, zero confidence in anything they say.”
Residents also want an inspector to go over any repairs made by management to make sure they are done properly.