WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – Residents at a Washtenaw County apartment complex said they’ve been living with backed-up sewage, days without running water, and what they believe is mold, and now the property is facing formal action from the township.
Sycamore Meadows Apartments in Superior Township received a non-compliance notice posted on their leasing door this week.
One resident, Sharon, shared a video of sewage backing up and overflowing from a pipe in her basement last week. She said it was just one of several serious issues she has dealt with in her unit.
“Last week I went four days without running water,” Sharon said.
Sharon, who lives at Sycamore Meadows with her children, didn’t want to be identified on camera by management.
She said repeated requests to fix the water and sewage problems went unanswered.
Frustrated, she contacted township trustees.
Eventually, Sharon, her children, and other affected families were moved into hotels.
“That was hard mentally, not even just for me but for the kids, and it’s disgusting,” Sharon said.
Other residents let Local 4 into their units. Showing dead roaches in the unit and pest traps, holes in the ceiling, and concerns about mold growth.
And earlier this week, the township issued a non-compliance notice to the complex.
“This is a part of our documentation process against Sycamore Meadows failing to follow township ordinances,” Superior Township Supervisor Emily Dabish Yahkind said.
Yahkind said the complex has refused to participate in the township’s rental inspection program, owes the township close to $200,000 for problems they’ve fixed, and must improve how it treats tenants.
Yahkind also mentioned that the township has had issues with the property since the previous owner went to prison; it’s facing foreclosure, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has appointed a receiver.
“We’ve been talking to the county prosecutor’s office and been working with our partners to see what our swiftest options are,” Yahkind said.
Local 4 went to the leasing office to get answers on why residents’ issues weren’t being resolved quickly enough, according to them, and to ask more about the notice.
Someone at the leasing office spoke to us through the intercom but hung up when we asked for a manager.
Local 4 then called the leasing office several times, emailed multiple staff members, and reached out to HUD.
We are waiting to hear back.
“Conditions like this are not acceptable,” Sharon said. She added that she hopes the complex takes accountability soon.
Yahkind urged any other residents experiencing problems at Sycamore Meadows to contact the township so officials can continue to document conditions.