Management of an apartment complex in southwest Houston have been accused of retaliating against a tenant who spoke out against the condition of her unit, as well as others.
“I just want them to fix my air and my mom’s air, and turn my lights back on so that I can pack my furniture and put it into storage until my house is ready,” said Samantha Fernandez, who also complained of mold in her unit.
Fernandez lives at Victoria Villa Apartments, located at 5710 Glenmont Drive.
She said she documented conditions at the apartment complex for over a year, asking management about improvements and other concerns.
Fernandez said she also acted as a liaison between herself and residents who are undocumented, who have been ignored by management.
She said her actions have resulted in management taking their frustrations out against her – including an attempt to increase her rent.
“I took them to court in May because they tried to make me pay $11,000, when my lease says $725,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez was victorious in court but suspects because she fought, management turned off her lights, including her air conditioning, and won’t respond to requests to remove mold from her unit, or her mother’s in the same complex.
“I was depressed. I was crying,” she said.
Fernandez received help Thursday in the form of advocacy. Dr. Candice Matthews, from the Rainbow Push Coalition, as well as representatives from Lone Star Legal Aid, visited the complex and met with Fernandez.
Matthews also confronted management, which initially walked away from her.
“Why are you going in the back? You were talking all that trash. Why you got these people living like this,” Matthews said to a woman in the office, as a KPRC 2 news crew recorded the interaction.
“You turned around and cut off their lights,” Matthews quipped, later returning to the office and speaking face-to-face with the same manager.
MANAGER: “You have proof?”
MATTHEWS: “Baby, I got all the proof. That’s why we are here!”
MANAGER: “Why you gotta be so loud?”
MATTHEWS: “Why you gotta be so foul and dirty?”
At that point of the interaction, a security guard asked the KPRC 2 news crew to leave, citing private property.
Fernandez said her air conditioning and lights remained off Thursday evening, leaving her no choice but to call a relative to pick up her children.
She said she had meetings scheduled with Lone Star Legal Aid Friday.