City Public Housing Residents Still Frustrated Over Living Conditions

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore public housing residents say the city is not doing enough to improve their living conditions. This, as the department deals with a sex-for-repairs scandal.

Linh Bui report frustrated residents met with housing officials Friday.

Rodent infestations, no heat, dangerous mold; Baltimore public housing residents have described deplorable living conditions. A federal lawsuit filed last month accuses maintenance workers of demanding sex before making repairs.

Twenty women, many of them in Gilmor Homes, have now joined the lawsuit.

"It's not good. Something really needs to be done," one woman said.

Since then, the Baltimore Housing Authority has taken steps to protect residents.

Last week, Housing Commissioner Paul Graziano inspected some homes and said they're working to address repairs.

"We have set up a hotline. It's a confidential hotline. Anybody who has a problem should come to us," said Graziano.

But many residents are still frustrated. On Friday, the group Communities United met with Graziano and his staff at the Baltimore Housing Authority. They say little progress has been made.

"They started putting my heat in, but I still don't have no heat. They started painting, but the paint's not finished. So how is that making progress when you start something and don't finish it?" said Tyesha Harrell, Gilmor Homes.

"I'm in a house that's been infested with mold. It's been like that for 14 months. They're supposed to be moving me, but when they send me to these housing complexes, they have other people waiting for the same apartment," said Alice Wilkerson, McCulloh Homes.

They say they got more promises during Friday's meeting, but what they want is action.

"This problem has existed for many years. It's time to clean it up," said Rochelle Barksdale, McCulloh Homes.

Housing officials say they are hiring 50 new maintenance technicians to help with the backlog.