SAN DIEGO — CBS 8 is Working for You again on sewage issues at Sea Breeze Gardens Apartments in Lincoln Park.
Residents told CBS 8 on Wednesday they are dealing with raw sewage coming up out of pipes outside their front doors and inside of their homes. Complaints and photos from other residents have continued to pour in since.
What to do if your rental has a sewage leak in San Diego
If you have sewage or mold issues in your rental unit, that's a code violation that needs to be reported.
The City of San Diego Land Use Enforcement prioritizes sewage leaks. For help, tenants can call 619-236-5500.
Residents say sewage has been a problem for years
Neighbors in the Lincoln Park apartment complex say they have been dealing with this stinky, nasty issue for years.
When we went to work for you on this story, management at Sea Breeze Gardens Apartments not only kicked CBS 8 off the property, but they also never responded to our emails or returned our phone calls.
Murrel Vailes, who we spoke with earlier this week, says he still hasn't heard from management about the sewage complaints.
"It's been too many years since I’ve been dealing with this. It's bad," he says. "I have to clean the bathtub every time that happens. Stuff leaks all out the side. Come on."
The apartment complex is being renovated and people who live here point out the fresh paint but say a whole lot more work needs to be done.
"This is what's needed right here. I get emotional and you don't know. I get frustrated," he says. "I'm telling you that it's wrong. My mom died in here. It could have been for that. Who knows?! I don’t know. It’s sad."
He says when property managers told him they were going to remodel, they also told him repairs would happen at his place first.
"I wasn't first," he says. "Seems like I'm last."
Vailes isn't the only one. Alonzo Webster is fed up too.
"I don't know what to do. It's disgusting. When they don't do nothing about it and we've told them over and over again? What are we supposed to say? What we supposed to do? It unclogs a little bit and then it's the same thing. Feces. And I'm tired of it. This is right here where I live. I got to smell everybody's feces. No."
CBS 8 tried to call the office multiple times after they opened Friday at 10 a.m. with no call back.
Our team went back to the apartment's leasing office. CBS 8’s Keristen Holmes could hear people laughing and talking inside but when she knocked on the door?
Crickets. No one said anything. Minutes later, CBS 8 was kicked off the property by security again.
Security directed us to a phone number and email for media inquiries. However, when we called, we were told because it's Yom Kippur, we won't hear back until after the holiday.
CBS 8 went to work for you and contacted the director of the San Diego Tenants Union, Rafael Bautista. He says this is a big problem that points to even bigger issues like eviction retaliation.
"When it's a property that's low-income, tax credit housing or something that's affordable, it's always hanging over a tenant's head because rents in the comparable market are $1,000 higher. So, they may not want to speak up in fear of retaliation and they know retaliation is real," Bautista started.
"For it not to be funded where it's well maintained, that's very concerning. A snake is clearly not going to solve the problem if it's a recurring issue. Landlords here have a history of holding people - anything that happens, they'll try to find an excuse to evict them. It's a very difficult position for people to be in because if they are evicted, they can't find rent paying that same amount," he said.
Bautista advises tenants to document every violation with pictures and videos.
"They need to make sure that they report and record everything. And they need to make sure that management gives them another place to live," Bautista advised.
Vailes said, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place and he's running out of patience.
"This is the ghetto. That's what they call it. And they treat us like that. I live here. I haven't missed any rent (payment) or anything. But this is what I got to deal with?!" he cried pointing at the leaky pipes.
At CBS 8, we are always Working for You and our community. This is a station promise that we will go the extra mile to solve a problem our audience can’t solve themselves. We want to hear your ideas on how we can cover and help our community. If you have a story idea, please email us at workingforyou@cbs8.com.