Trash, other problems piling up again at South City apartment complex

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - For the last two weeks, residents at Fountains at Carondelet in South City say they’ve been dealing with overflowing trash.

“With the trash, high grass and nobody in the office, people started not paying rent,” said Laura Lucas. She’s been living at the complex for about two years.

Tuesday morning, after several complaints, she says crews came to pick up the full dumpsters, but they left the trash that didn’t fit on the dumpsters.

“What I witnessed from my window was they took those dumpsters, plus two from somewhere else,” said Lucas.

Kage Harrison lives in the complex too and is ready to move.

“They obviously don’t care about how people feel about a trashy environment. It makes me want to get out real fast,” said Harrison.

First Alert 4 has followed issues at this complex for years. The previous management was TEH Realty, and in 2019, the city cited them for dozens of violations.

“We’re living with mold in our buildings,” said Teresa Gail. “I’ve been sick from it like four times. We [also] have a lot of squatters come in the building.”

While First Alert 4 was interviewing residents, a man asked why we were there. Residents say the man runs the property office.

“Well I can’t make any comments, but we’re working with the owners and getting it taken care of,” he said.

Issues at this complex have gotten the attention of Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer.

She wrote in a statement: “The people who live at the Fountains rented apartments that they thought would be safe, clean places to live. They got mold, trash, and pests. The owners have got to – or have got to be made to – fix this now.”

Schweitzer says the group who owns the property changes often, so she’s reached out to their attorneys. Schweitzer says Arch City Defenders and St. Louis City’s Counselors Office are also involved.