LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Roaches, mice and mold. Those are just a few of the things people who live inside Louisville’s Dosker Manor senior living apartments say they deal with regularly.
72-year-old Doris Meaus gets to her place via a walkway that is open to the elements and only partially covered. On the way home, she walks through something seeping on the floor.
She brought Spectrum News 1 inside her apartment and to show us what she’s been fighting.
“This is gnats. All of that is gnats. I had sense enough to make the solution to get rid of them.” Meaus said as she held up small a small glass full of dead gnats. She made a solution with different substances to attract and kill the bugs.
Meaus moved in the day before Thanksgiving last year. Back then, there were no issues. She said things have gone downhill. Meaus said she deals with mice and puts poison down to kill them. She describes the living conditions of the complex as poor.
“Honey, I hate it. I don’t want to move. I love my apartment. I haven’t had my own apartment since I had 7 strokes and I’m glad to have an apartment, but, I hate the things that go on. I do. I hate it.” Meaus explained.
She’s not alone. Wednesday, people who live in the complex were joined by several Louisville Metro council members to address what they call deficiencies.
Donald, a resident of the complex, said at a news conference, “I wish the Mayor would come here and clean this place up. We’ve got black mold. Our bathrooms is coming down.”
Another resident, Alex, said residents need help.
“I’m going to ask the city officials to help us.” Alex said. “That’s what I want to ask. We need help.”
City leaders have been in contact with city administrators about this. Dosker Manor has over 600 apartment units. It sits on Muhammad Ali Boulevard and was built in 1968.
“By the looks of the insides of these units, there has been no upgrades. Not much maintenance,” said Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins. Dawkins oversees District 1, which includes Parkland, Chickasaw and Park Duvalle. She continued saying, “Today, I stand before you with city leaders, no longer asking, but demanding Louisville Housing Authority (LMHA) to take action.”
District 4 council member Jecorey Arthur issued a call-to-action ahead of the next LMHA board meeting. Arthur’s district includes the Butchertown, California and Russell neighborhoods.
“We need to go and give them a history lesson, but not just about what we’ve gone through the past 50-plus years, but what we’re going through right now,” Arthur said.
Meaus is on a fixed income and cannot afford to move.
“What can I do? Stay here until I’m able until I can afford to move somewhere else,” Meaus explained.
The Louisville Metro Housing Authority board meets on Tuesday Sept. 19. Arthur is asking Dosker Manor residents and those living in other public housing communities to sign up to speak.
Lisa Osanka, Executive Director of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, sent Spectrum News 1 a statement addressing the issues. She wrote, “Last Friday (August 18th, 2023) LMHA received notice of concerns at seven specific units at the 685-unit Dosker Manor apartments. All seven expressed concerns of possible mold and two expressed concerns about bugs.
While previously unreported to Property Management, stated concerns about mold in three units were received by LMHA that Friday. Earlier this week, LMHA Property Maintenance staff inspected the units and arranged for LMHA’s environmental testing consultant to test those units this Friday, August 25th.”
Osanka said staff inspected three other units and found no mold. A final unit was inspected and Property Management is planning for a tenant to be temporarily moved.
LMHA says exterminators try to inspect each unit quarterly. They looked at the units where complaints were filed and found “minor indications of bugs.” LMHA treated the units.
Residents are asked to report any concerns to immediately so work orders can be completed. The number residents are asked to call is 502-569-4818.