LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)– Two tenants at the Himbola Manor Apartments in Lafayette said they are tired of having to battle with the complex manager about the mold and water leaks, and nothing is getting permanently resolved. 

Brandy Prejean has two children, ages 6 and 11, and has been a tenant at the Himbola Manor Apartments for three years. Warrenicka Goodman lived there for eight years alone.

“They come, and they kind of look at it, but they only put a bandage on it,” Prejean said. “There are never any professional plumbers, electricians, or anything who actually come out and get the job done where I don’t have to continue reporting over and over throughout the three years that I have actually been here.”

Prejean said she has been dealing with mold and water leaking from the ceiling in her bathroom, the hallway and the closet in her bedroom. The living conditions she has to deal with have her worried for her and her children’s health. 

“We haven’t visited the hospital or anything, but that’s in the making that’s the next step to go and get tested for mold and any other diseases as for what toxic material can bring about,” Prejean told News 10. 

Prejean said she heard many other tenants are going through the same thing.

“Given their situations, they may not be so upfront with speaking up about what’s going on,” she said. 

Goodman weighed in and shared that her experience is the same as Prejean’s. 

“I’m currently in the same situation as her,” Goodman said. “The bathroom, the hallway, the sheetrock, mold everything the same, and everything is just like she said, getting a Band-Aid patched over it. No professional ever comes out.”

Goodman said since 2015 she went to court three or four times and the judge denied all evictions she received and stated mandatory work had needed to be done. However, nothing changed. 

“Nobody basically gets sick, which mold is a big thing, period,” Goodman said. “It’s a hazard, and I would hope that everything would get fixed, but they just need to have more communication with the tenants here and work on maintenance as it needs to be required and not give excuses after excuses. Instead of not helping us, help us. They just give us the run-around. It’s really ridiculous.” 

“I’ve actually contacted the Bureau of Health Standards as well as the compliance department for the Lafayette Consolidated Government,” Prejean said. “I’m hoping somebody does something soon. I also have been served an eviction notice because of my complaining about it so much.” 

In addition, she told News 10 she is working on getting a lawyer and hopes the management and property owners are held accountable. 

“Nobody should have to live this way because of their financial situation,” Prejean said. “A lot of people use this to actually get out of where we actually are, and the conditions make that kind of hard to be able to do that.”

News 10 had to do quite some leg work to get in contact with the property owners of the complex since trying to reach the manager of the complex has not been successful. News 10 went to Lafayette Assessor.com and found the complex’s name. The property owners listed Agape Himbola Manor Inc. According to the Secretary of State’s website, the owner listed in Baton Rouge was inactive.

However, listed under registered agent(s) was Blumberg Excelsior Corporate Services Inc., with locations in Baton Rouge and New York. News 10 was able to contact someone who shared we would have to write a letter to the address on file. However, we were able to get an email. Thursday afternoon, we sent a notice about the tenant’s claims and have not received a response as of news time.