Days after Ian, Daytona residents still in need of help at flooded apartment complex
DAYTONA, Fla. - The City of Daytona Beach has a long road ahead in its recovery following Hurricane Ian. One of the things people seem to be most frustrated about is the lack of direction following the storm.
Tyesha Turner’s apartment in Daytona flooded last Wednesday – the night Hurricane Ian first hit our area.
"The water started coming in the house. We thought it was going to be minimal damage, at first. We started putting towels to the door. Went upstairs, maybe not even ten minutes later, came back down and the whole bottom floor was just completely – like a swimming pool," said Turner.
Now, six days later, she and others at Lakeside Village Apartment Homes are no better off.
"The smell was starting to make me sick because you’ve got raw sewage and everything else. So I tried to call the apartment complex to no avail," said Turner. "Still, I haven’t heard anything from anybody."
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Turner says the apartment complex hasn’t offered her any help or talked to her about relocation.
She says a carpet treatment company was out there today to work on a couple of units – but in this picture, you can see how high the water soaked into the walls, too.
"Mold is already starting to set in and no one can breathe in that. They don’t have any answers for us, and I’m just over it," she told FOX 35. "I’m not asking for a five-star hotel. Just tell us something."
FOX 35 News reached out to the property management company, Picerne Realty, Monday night and again Tuesday. A receptionist said management was at the complex Monday, "taking care of everything," but she couldn’t say what that actually entailed. Management never called or emailed FOX 35 back.
Volusia County has the Citizens Information Center for citizen questions (866-345-0345). The County also has information about FEMA assistance at www.Volusia.org.
The City of Daytona Beach said it couldn't weigh in on this issue much because they consider it a dispute between the landlord and resident. A representative with the City did say,
"Volusia County, in cooperation with the American Red Cross, has a shelter at the Ocean Center for people who had damage to their home, and it is uninhabitable. The shelter can accommodate persons with special needs and a caregiver can accompany them. The shelter is also pet friendly."