Ypsilanti apartment building condemned, moving frustrated tenants

YPSILANTI, Mich. (FOX 2) - A red tag on the entrance of an apartment building in Ypsilanti has residents saying they have been living in unsafe conditions for quite a while.

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Mold, leaky plumbing, and roaches are among the problems reported by many residents at Arbor One Apartments, including resident Reico McGuire.

"I had a fish tank in my window," he said. "I’ve never seen one of those. I had a window with water halfway in it, that had fungus all in it, everything. I showed them that, and that’s the only thing they fixed."

McGuire says since he moved in two years ago, he has experienced nothing but problems, from sewage issues to a lack of central air.

The backstory:

FOX 2 met with McGuire's mother, Reica, in January, when she and neighbors were dealing with a number of issues. At that time, several doors had yellow stickers on them, indicating the owner did not have a valid certificate of compliance.

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Residents of Ypsilanti apartment complex livid at rundown living conditions

Reica McGuire says she has lived at the Arbor One apartment complex in Ypsilanti for a year and a half in horrid conditions.

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In March, red stickers replaced the yellow ones, and tenants had to move. 

Meanwhile, McGuire had to relocate his 70-year-old mother to another residence within the complex.

"They’ve got roaches and everything over there," he said. "I just moved my mom over there two days ago, and a neighbor told her it’s full of roaches. Homeless people were staying in her apartment."

McGuire says he and others have taken the owners, Beal Properties, to court to express their frustrations.

He says he will continue to fight to do what’s best for his family.

"I got a daughter that stays out here with me. And she be happy to go to school and all that. We do the best we can to get our stuff together, living in the conditions we’re living in," he said.

FOX 2 reached out to VTP River Woods LLC and Beal Properties, the owners of the complex, and is waiting for a response as of Tuesday evening. We also reached out to the commissioner who was helping them fight their troubles in court and have not heard back.