August 17, 2019 (Nashville). Residents of Mosaic Apartments (1019 Patricia Drive), a low-income complex managed by prominent Nashville developer Elmington Capital Group LLC, reported raw sewage covering their walls and hallway floors that went untreated for at least 3 days. On Friday, members of the People’s Alliance for Transit, Housing and Employment (PATHE), concerned neighbors, and current and former residents visited the corporate office in hazmat suits carrying buckets and bags of filthy water to simulate the sewage that was flowing into people’s apartments. Elmington executives refused a meeting. PATHE’s facebook live footage of the event can be found here.
According to residents, the problems began on Monday,8/16, when people noticed plumbing backup flowing into the halls. It took Elmington until midnight on Thursday to clean up. After almost 4 full days of raw sewage seeping into resident’s homes, people report damages to personal belongings and say their homes are now a potential health hazard. Residents tried to fix things sooner, but claim Elmington management responded dismissively, saying that if renters have a problem
they can leave.
Concerned neighbors call on Elmington to make things right by:
- Fully reimbursing residents for property damage
- Providing health screenings to affected residents
- Immediately moving impacted residents to a clean unit and providing 3 months free rent.
As rents rise, affordable housing stock disappears and renters see little relief from elected officials, unscrupulous developers are left to exploit renters desperate to find housing they can afford. Elmington is a prominent Nashville developer, listing 42 properties in the city, and has many properties that house working-class families. At approximately $1,000 for a 2-bedroom, Mosaic Apartments is still relatively affordable in a city wracked by an out of control housing crisis and Elmington knows residents have few other options.
Every person, regardless of income, deserves to live in safe, dignified housing. It’s time for our elected officials to hold slum landlords accountable, and to begin construction immediately on 31,000 units of affordable homes.
Join the Movement for 31,000 Affordable Homes for a Marie Antoinette Cake Party on the lawn of the Metro Court House as Nashville’s Metro Council meets for the final time before their upcoming recess. Bring your friends and bring the volume. We’ll be letting Nashville leaders know that our voices WILL be heard on Nashville’s housing crisis.
The People’s Alliance for Transit, Housing and Employment (PATHE) is a coalition of low-income workers, renters, bus riders, and bus drivers organizing to ensure equitable development in Nashville.
Video of the conditions of the apartments can be found here, filmed by Nashville Noticias. Photo of hallway used with permission from Nashville Noticias.