Residents at Mueller Flats Apartments protest over living conditions
AUSTIN, Texas - Residents at the Mueller Flats Apartments in East Austin are fed up and frustrated.
The winter storm left many with damage and unlivable living situations. They say management did not step up and help.
Residents say that mold-covered their apartments, they were left with standing water in their units, and some even had their home gutted without being told.
Saturday, the group demanded action from the apartment complex, creating a list of demands that includes:
- The ability for residents to break their lease without penalty
- Provide alternate housing accommodations for residents who have units that are unlivable, no strings attached
- Reimbursement for the days that they were without utilities
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Austin City Councilmember Greg Casar was in attendance Saturday and says that management has failed these residents.
"They owe you repairs; they owe you money, they owe you respect and dignity and the freedom to make your own decisions," he said.
Casar said the City will now be stepping in to enforce and make sure that Mueller Flats and management will be providing the support and repairs these residents need.
"Because we are not hearing back from Furmis management, we are going to accelerate enforcement and come down with everything the city has got until you guys get justice until these apartments get fixed and until Furmis Management starts doing a little bit of the right thing," said Casar.
As the group delivered their demands to the leasing office, they left them on the doorstep. However, as the group was walking away, staff inside seemingly grabbed the envelope the demands were left in and tossed them aside. They then called the police.
Casar told Fox 7 Austin that if management does not comply with the City of Austin, the city has the authority to not allow them to lease open units. And if it comes to it, take them to court.
APD officers that spoke with FOX 7 Austin said they received calls about protestors.
FOX 7 Austin reached out to management at the Mueller Flats, we did not hear back.