CINCINNATI — Tenants at the A L'aise apartment building in Hyde Park Square said they're dealing with water damage, leaks and possible mold inside their units.
Melissa Hoffheins, who lives in the building, said she and other tenants have been dealing with deteriorating conditions for weeks.
She said after July's flash flooding, she removed artwork from her bedroom wall only to find possible mold and damaged plaster.
WATCH: Tenants in the apartment complex showed us some of the issues they're dealing with:
“Now I’m overthinking: 'Is this affecting my day-to-day, my health, my sleep, what am I breathing in?'" Hoffheins said.
Hoffheins said she told management about the problem but claims no one has run any tests in her unit.
She said it prompted her to run her own tests, which she believes show she has possible black mold in her apartment.
"I would like them to be a little more urgent in the health of the residents," Hoffheins said.
In the unit below the Hoffheins', resident Avery Collyer said she has similar concerns.
Collyer said a fixed pipe in her unit left a hole in her wall for months. She said recently a mushroom grew from her ceiling.
“So far, nothing has been done about this and there’s been nothing said to me about what’s been done about this," Collyer said.
Both Collyer and Hoffheins said they've repeatedly brought concerns to management, but they claim many of the problems remain unresolved.
Hoffheins said some problems existed before July's flash flooding.
“It’s just the lack of assurance and the lack of honest communication that I’m worried about," Hoffheins said.
Resident Josh Emery said he's concerned with possible mold that he said is developing throughout the complex.
"That can seriously impact people's health," Emery said.
He said he would like to see health inspections done at the complex.
The building is owned by PLK Communities, the same developer behind a controversial redevelopment project in Hyde Park Square.
Part of the redevelopment project includes renovating the A L'aise building.
Collyer and Hoffheins said they hope they're not being overlooked because of that project.
“I think it’s just wanting assurance that even with this redevelopment plan that they will still continue to spend the proper time and money on making sure that we feel safe as tenants here," Collyer said.
We reached out to PLK Communities about residents' concerns. In response, the company emphasized it remains committed to preserving and reinvesting in the building.
The company said July's flash flooding caused significant damage, and it immediately began working on a recovery plan.
PLK Communities said it brought in outside contractors, added management oversight and prioritized repairs inside residents' units. The company said some repairs require specialized work, meaning those repairs may take longer than others.
You can read their full statement below:
Please know, our residents are our priority. Since the summer storms, we've focused on caring for them and moving recovery work forward as quickly and responsibly as possible.
The flooding caused significant damage at A L’aise and throughout Hyde Park Square. We acted immediately, put a recovery plan in place for our teams, added resources where needed, and have been actively working through that plan.
Right after the flood, we brought in outside vendors to assess the damage, begin cleanup, and address the most urgent issues.
We then moved into the next phase of recovery, with the first priority being repairs inside residents’ homes. We added management oversight and brought in specialized third-party contractors for work requiring specific expertise.
We have been working diligently through that plan since the storm. Our teams have been on site regularly, and specialized plaster and ceiling work is continuing today. We have also added oversight and resources to make sure reported maintenance items are documented, tracked, and addressed through completion.
We know the recovery has taken time. Some repairs can be addressed quickly, while others require specialized trades, coordination, and more extensive work. We are continuing to move through that work as quickly and responsibly as possible.
Work remains underway, and we will continue carrying out the plan until the remaining repairs are complete.
We remain committed to the residents who live there today and to restoring A L’aise properly for the long term. Since acquiring A L’aise, our plan has been to preserve and reinvest in the building. For more than two years, since our acquisition, we have been advancing the plans and approvals necessary to move that long-term rehabilitation forward.
Hoffheins and Collyer said they understand the issues that severe weather brought. However, they said they're hoping to see more communication from PLK Communities to make sure the issues are addressed soon.
“I moved here knowing that it’s a very old building," Hoffheins said. "There’s going to be issues. But this just seems over the top."
