City Of Miami Threatening To Condemn Unsafe Apartment Building

MIAMI (CBS4) - Inspectors examined three buildings in the city of Miami today in an effort to root out what they call "slumlords."

CBS4 cameras went along as Inspectors looked at an apartment building at 402 NW 12th Avenue.  There were holes in the walls and floors and residents say there is no running water.

"I pay $700 in rent," said Pedro Nunez Herrera, adding that he had not had water in his apartment in four days.

The property manager told us she tries to keep the building safe but blames people who live there, many of whom she says don't pay rent.

"The fire alarms have been fixed many times. People who live in this building that pay know that," but Sulay Rodriguez said others cause problems, "They burn clothes and they do everything to make this building with problems because they don't pay rent and they make it bad for the ones that do."

City Inspectors say they'll likely decide Friday whether to condemn the buildings they inspected Thursday.  All are within blocks of each other.

As for the one at 402 NW 12th, Inspector Ray Benitez said, "There is not running water and people cannot observe basic hygienic necessities - bathe, flush the toilets. That will influence the fact that the building will probably be condemned in near future."