ATLANTA — Two southwest Atlanta renters say they have been living with a major structural problem after the floor in their apartment split apart, leaving what they describe as dangerous conditions inside their home.
Jairus Cannon and his brother, Mark Thompson, say the floor in the living room of their apartment at Gateway South Apartments began separating just days after they moved in.
“It’s horrible,” Cannon said.
The brothers showed Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln an approximately 8-inch gap running through the living room floor. Thompson said he must place a board across the opening to walk through the room safely.
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“To walk across it safely, I have to pull this board out and lay it across the floor right here,” Thompson said.
Channel 2 Action News cameras also captured what appeared to be rotted wood and loose support beams beneath the floor. The brothers believe previous water damage may have contributed to the deterioration.
Thompson said he moved into the apartment on June 10 and began noticing problems by the end of the month.
“I started noticing signs June 30,” he said.
For Cannon, the conditions are especially alarming. He relies on an oxygen tank and a defibrillator and says a fall inside the apartment could have serious consequences.
“I don’t even know the words. I’m just hurt,” Cannon said. “It’s horrible. It’s not safe.”
Lincoln visited the apartment leasing office and showed a staff member video footage of the damaged floor.
“Yeah, that’s insane,” the employee said after viewing the footage.
In a statement to Channel 2 Action News, Emerald Management Enterprises, which manages Gateway South Apartments, said it is aware of the concerns and has been communicating directly with the residents.
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The company said management informed the resident that the apartment must be vacated so the damaged flooring can be removed and repaired.
Management also said it offered the resident a furnished apartment on the property to use temporarily so repairs can be completed safely while the resident prepares to move.
“The safety and well-being of our residents remains a priority, and we will continue working with the resident to facilitate his relocation and address the conditions in the apartment,” the company said in its statement.
Thompson said management initially offered another apartment unit but he declined after observing what he believed were signs of floor damage in those units as well.
After Channel 2 Action News began asking questions, the brothers said management contacted them and offered reimbursements and permission to break their lease.
“I feel like I should be reimbursed everything that I gave them,” Thompson said.
The company went on to say, “The safety and well-being of our residents remains a priority, and we will continue working with the resident to facilitate his relocation and address the conditions in the apartment.”
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