ORANGE, Texas — Residents living at the Sabine Park Apartment Homes in Orange have gone 27 days without water after pipes busted at the complex during the arctic cold front that hit Southeast Texas on Christmas Eve.
12News has learned the company that was managing the apartment complex, Trinity Multifamily/Asset Living, is terminating their agreement with the building owners, Sabine Portfolio, LLC.
Ladarious Salton moved into the Sabine Park Apartment Homes August 2022.
Now, several apartment units have notices posted on the doors, stating they are uninhabitable.
"If I would've knew, I would've never moved here," she said.
Salton's unit is one of roughly 20 apartments impacted.
Residents say it feels like they're left to fend for themselves with no water and weeks of backed-up sewage.
"It's very disrespectful that we have to live with this. No communication at all. I mean, they own this place," ___ said.
Representatives from management company Trinity Multifamily/Asset Living tell 12News they submitted a termination to the owners of the Sabine Park Apartment Homes.
"To schedule ending the management services provided by Asset Living. Asset Living has not been provided the funds it believes are necessary to provide best-in-class property management services, and its management at the property will end on February 13, 2023.," the statement said.
Residents say the on-site manager left weeks ago and now they have no one to turn to.
"I've been calling and calling and nobody would pick up," Salton said. "The maintenance man was next door and I asked him about the lady in the front and he told me she quit."
When 12News crew was at the complex Thursday, the main office building was locked and everything inside was cleared out.
"If I don't find somewhere to go for me and my kids very soon we're gonna be homeless," Salton said.
Another family at the complex says they they have water, but it hasn't been hot since the arctic cold front.
So, they've been boiling water to wash dishes and bathe. Because of that, their electricity bill for the month is over $450.
"It feels like we're living like animals here," Regina Steward, Sabine Park resident, previously told 12News.
12News repeatedly reached out to Sabine Park Apartment Homes and Trinity Multifamily, the apartment's management company. Trinity Multifamily later responded by saying in part:
“The repairs needed are quite extensive due to the age of the property as well as the freeze that happened a few weeks ago. We have received bids and the owners of the property, Sabine Portfolio LLC, are reviewing them and making plans to get the work completed.”
Renters said there has been little to no communication from management regarding the issue. They are running out of patience and desperate for help.
“Excuse my French, but I’m mad as hades, and I don’t know what to do about it,” Steward said. “I’m not going to take this anymore. Someone’s going to help us.”
In some apartment complexes, sinks are filled with unwashed dishes and there is no place for those living in them to bathe.
Related: 'It's terrible': Sabine Park Apartment Homes resident describes living without water for three weeks
“I'm at a loss as for what to do,” Steward said. “I'm about to start, but I don't know how to start a GoFundMe page for help. I'd like to see if somehow some way a GoFundMe page could be made to help us out here."
Multiple units have water and sewage flowing from underneath into the street.
"We've been dealing with this for a month now, and we're living like animals basically,” Steward said.
Martisia Thomas moved into the complex about three months ago.
"I don't know what's going on but it’s very hard," Thomas said.
Related: 'It's unbearable': Some Sabine Park Apartment Homes residents living without water since Christmas
The conditions are so bad that she is relieved she did not pay rent for this month.
“I didn’t pay it,” Thomas said. “And good thing I didn’t pay it, because she’s gone, and I’m still with no water."
Orange Planning and Community Development are looking into the complex for more than just busted pipes. They sent the complex a letter.
"That letter will state what the violations are, and the property owner will need to contact us,” Kelvin Knauf, City of Orange Planning and Development said.
The American Red Cross is expected to go to the complex Saturday around 11 a.m. to drop off water and supplies.
12News has reached out to apartment management to ask about a timeline for repairs and to see if residents are expected to pay rent this month, but have yet to receive a response.
