FORT MYERS, Fla. — Complaints coming from an apartment complex in Downtown Fort Myers have the city's code enforcement office flooded with frustrated residents demanding solutions.
From rarely working elevators to no air conditioning, complaints for the Edison Grand are flocking to the point the city has put a deadline for the Edison Grand to fix the living conditions.
”They are charging luxury apartment prices for slum-level apartments," said Keshia a resident of the complex.
Keshia didn't want to give her full name but she gave the full details of her experience while living at the Edison Grand.
"It’s been such a nightmare," Keshia said.
A nightmare she said is because the 24-story building only has two functional elevators—also the amenities she paid for like the pool, rarely work, and has received code violations.
But her biggest complaint now in the middle of this Southwest Florida summer?
“I just received AC," Keshia said. "You are expecting me to live in southwest Florida with no air conditioning, that is a health and safety concern.”
Keshia said she hasn't had a working AC for the last nine months.
The units were damaged during Hurricane Ian. With the Edison Grand only having floor-to-ceiling windows, the windows can't open for fresh air.
“In order to you know not to die of heat exhaustion, we have to leave our front doors open," Keshia said.
Which she said creates a new list of problems like safety—-she said like the temperatures
inside her unit a new charge on her utility fees at the complex are also rising.
“Unfortunately our office has been flooded with complaints for this property," said Mark Campbell, Fort Myers Code of Enforcement department.
Mark Campbell with the city's code enforcement division said he too is hearing the concerns of residents.
Fox 4'sBriana Brownleesubmitted a public records request for those list of concerns and hasn't received it just yet.
However, Campbell said the biggest concern he's hearing is the elevators.
“I had a gentleman, who claims he uses a wheelchair and he has issues getting up and down," Campbell said.
The owner of the property couldn't be reached for comment but she was at the meeting and said there are three working elevators and they are working to get the others fixed. However, there is a waiting list until January 2024.
“We have done everything, everything code has asked us to do we have responded to it," Roxanne Prada, owner of the Edison Grand.
The city said the Edison Grand is working on fixing
the issues but for residents like Keisha, she said there needs to be more accountability.
"I think it’s a story that highlights the disadvantage that all tenants have," Keshia said.
The city gave the Edison Grand until January 11th for the elevators to be up to code until they start fining them.
