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'The Morgan Apartments' face foreclosure
FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jennifer Bishop has lived at The Morgan apartments for a decade. She told city leaders the past few years have been especially difficult, marked by maintenance problems and neighbors moving out.
"It’s just a sad situation that they’re doing this to just hardworking people," Bishop said.
RELATED: St. Pete apartment residents can now stay after fire code violations forced them to vacate
The backstory:
In August, the city threatened to shut off water to the entire complex after the Dallas-based owner failed to pay. The City of St. Petersburg is still suing to recover more than $400,000 in unpaid water bills.
Then in November, about 30 tenants narrowly avoided eviction after the fire department cited severe safety violations.
"I’m responsible in paying my rent. Why can’t you be responsible in maintaining the property?" Bishop said.
Big picture view:
With the property now facing foreclosure and a potential auction, the St. Pete Tenants Union is asking the city to buy the complex to keep residents housed.
"The city has an incredible opportunity to come along and make this a good place for people to live and keep people housed," said William Kilgore of the St. Pete Tenants Union.
In a statement, the city said it is working closely with the tenants union, but it does not currently plan to acquire the property. See the full statement below:
"At this time, the City does not have plans to acquire the Morgan property. Right now, our focus is on collecting the remainder of the outstanding water services balance and providing assistance and information to residents wanting to relocate from the property."
What they're saying:
Kilgore argued the city has options if it chooses to act.
"They do have the ability. It’s a matter of political will," Kilgore said.
Despite the city’s statement, St. Petersburg City Council Vice Chair Richie Floyd told FOX 13 the idea is worth discussing and said he is working on getting a discussion going with council.
Bishop said she would prefer the city buy the property and worries about neighbors — many on fixed incomes who may have nowhere else to go.
"I just feel bad for a lot of my neighbors who are on fixed incomes," she said, adding, "I have hope. Hopefully it will turn out in the end."
MORE: St. Petersburg outlines who could qualify for disaster recovery aid, buyouts, as demand surges
What's next:
Tenants said the situation at The Morgan apartments reflects a broader issue in St. Petersburg: Corporate landlords, new luxury developments and the loss of affordable housing squeezing long-time residents.
City officials said they are monitoring the foreclosure process and will continue to update residents about their options.
The other side:
FOX 13 has not heard back from the property’s owner.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered during a city council meeting, interviews with tenants and an interview with the tenants' union. It also includes a statement from the City of St. Petersburg and previous FOX 13 News reports.