Residents of a northwest Laredo apartment complex are dealing with a bad situation they say has gone on long enough.
Families living there have had to deal with sewage backing up into their bathrooms and into their parking lot.
And in the last few days some have even gone without hot water or any water at all.
Today people decided they had had enough and went to law enforcement for help.
Annette Garcia has the story.
Sewage still comes up from under the ground, even after weeks of complaints to the Dellwood Apartment manager.
“I think it's disgusting. I always push them to get out. You all need to leave because it’s a health hazard. It’s disgusting and it's sad to see these people are living like that.”
“The family says they've been dealing with this for months and when they flush their toilets all of this comes up and out of their shower.”
“We’re having trouble with the sewer. I take a shower and the poop comes out. I flush the toilet and the poop comes up out of the bathtub or through the sink in the restroom.”
She says someone finally did come out to inspect the problem but was surprised by their solution to the filthy mess.
“They say they're going to go fix it and they don't. They just throw Clorox on top of the poop that’s coming out and leave.”
If the sewage wasn't enough, families here said things got worse a few days ago.
Water was cut off to parts of the complex.
Residents say the water bill was not paid by the apartment manager.
And over the weekend a car accident knocked out a huge part of the building and knocked out hot water as well.
People here reached a breaking point Monday.
Fire marshals, the health department and other authorities were called to the scene and found other disturbing issues.
Exits that served as an emergency way out were boarded up and some even locked.
Fire extinguishers were empty. Or non-existent.
And trash had not been picked up in days.
“It's like if we're homeless because look how we are living. There’s fungus growing on the roof. And the couches. We can’t pick up the toilet or eat because the roaches are there.”
“Just because you pay 400, 550 a month whatever they pay, you don’t have to live in these conditions at all.”
The apartment manager was nowhere to be found.
Tenants said she took off right when authorities were arriving and said she was going to San Antonio on a family emergency and would be back in a few weeks.
Residents say they're happy to see at least some solution in sight.
“I’m glad that it's come to this point. i\It needs to be known.”
“Other apartments are very expensive. This is all we could afford. i hope they do shut them down and probably we could find something better.”
The people we interviewed have been living there for less than a year and say they hope to go somewhere else very soon.
They also say their lease and price of other apartments make it difficult to leave.
Residents say Councilman Jorge Vera has been a big help.
Vera told us today that the apartment manager will be cited for several violations and the owner of the complex who is in New York may also face consequences as well.
“Now we went a step further from there and will seek criminal action against this guy. When I see these people, I see my sister. These are our constituents.”