ST. LOUIS – After a Fox2/News11 report two days ago, residents’ complaints about living conditions at the historic Homer G. Phillips apartments for seniors have been confirmed by inspectors for the City of St. Louis Building and Health. Homer G. Phillips is now on the clock to get something done about it.
The inspection reports say inspections of 181 of 231 units revealed a widespread lack of hot water; 4 units with bedbug infestation; 2 with roach infestation; 3 with a mice infestation; wastewater on the floor in the basement storage area; furnace filters needing replacement building-wide; and minor mold and plumbing issues.
“The thing that really jumps out at me is a lot of the things we were hearing from residents were found to be true,” said St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed.
He spearheaded the inspections after consistent complaints for a large number of residents.
Approximately 50 more units have yet to be inspected. The reports also credit management for how well-kept the common areas are. They say 79 units have no issues.
Reed admits the problems cited can occur in any household but the historic former African American hospital is a special place in the city’s heart; people now calling it home must be heard.
“This facility is more than just a building in the City of St. Louis,” Reed said. “What this report shows is that the management really needs to listen to what the residents are reporting back to them. So, if the residents are saying, ‘I have a problem with mice in apartment’, respond to it, get the exterminators out and take care of it.”
A spokesman for Dominium, the Minnesota company that manages Homer G. Phillips, told Fox 2/News 11 residents are the top priority and management responds to all issues as quickly as possible. Dominium has 2 to 3 weeks to get something done before the next round of inspections, Reed said.