Dear Editor:

I am Glory Mapp, 81 years old, and I currently reside at the Suwanee House in downtown Cordele, Ga (101 S 7th St, Apt. 103). I am also a retired Cordele Police officer.

My apartment has had leakage issues since I moved in back in 1997.  This has been a continuous issue for most of my stay here and it has resulted black mold throughout the apartment.  In one instance a wall had to be torn out and replaced due to leaking and mold. 

Through it all there has continued to be a moldy smell issues and I have made many complaints to the Management. This situation has also made my apartment a haven for roaches. 

Earlier this year, February 2018, my son took me to the University of South Florida Byrd Institute in Tampa, Fl. to get check[ed] for Alzheimer’s.  Concerned family members and friends told my son that I was having memory issues thus the trip to Byrd institute.  The results came back negative, so we were baffled as to the source of my memory issues.

In the first week of August 2018 I had a fall and fractured my jaw/chin.  I had no idea why I fell except for I just went faint.

During this time leaks from the apartment above and leaks from my hot water heater were occurring.  I complained again to management with no action taken. 

On August 9th my son and his three children visited me from Tampa and noticed right away a strong moldy smell.  He strongly advised I contact management the following Monday. I did just that and a maintenance person eventually came over. 

I was asked to leave temporarily to allow the maintenance person to assess the situation. I was later told that I could not return because the apartment was uninhabitable due to black mold.  Then I started to think about my recent fall, my chronic upper respiratory issues, and weight loss – could the black mold be the cause? 

With no assistance from management, I moved in with my friend for a week but then had to relocate due the restrictions on guests in her apartment complex. 

At this point I was basically homeless.  I had an apartment that I could not return to; however, I was still responsible for the rent and utilities. 

Management did not provide or offer any interim assistance during this period.  However, management did offer me another apartment in the same complex and told me it would be available in a week or so – to date the apartment is still unavailable.  Of note the apartment offered was in very poor condition and required more repairs than the one person assigned could complete in a reasonable amount of time.

With that in mind, my son came down from Stockbridge to get me on or around August 18th – I have been living with him since while all my personal belongings remain in the apartment. 

My apartment is infested with black mold and it has been present for 15-20 years.  Management has not reached out to me since offering the other apartment.

What am I supposed to do at 81 years of age?  These are supposed to be my golden years and to be in this situation that is no fault of my own, is a sad testament of taking care of the elderly.

 With regards to my health, my son took me to my primary care doctor to get checked for any issues associated with breathing the black mold – the results are pending.

My son has also submitted an application for me to relocate to a different apartment complex – that is also pending.  I need to know what is in my legal bounds in regards my current situation.

I am 81 years old and currently homeless – management has done zero to assist me while they say they are preparing another apartment for me.

Again, I have been homeless for at least 4 weeks now.  I also believe that my apartment is not the only one experiencing this issue – something must be done!!!

 

Very Respectfully,

Glory Mapp

101 South 7th Avenue

Apartment 103

Cordele, GA 31015

Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writer alone and do not represent the opinions or beliefs of the Dispatch.