COLUMBUS, Ohio — On the outside, the Colonial Village Apartments in east Columbus have been declared a "public nuisance” by the city.
But when you go inside, it turns from a nuisance to a nightmare.
Since the pandemic started the city said police have responded to roughly 1,500 service calls there.
City Attorney Zach Klein told us the owners have 30 days to fix the emergency violations or the complex will be appointed to a third party.
"This is no place to live. This is not for anybody,” said Carla Young. She and her six kids live in apartment D on Rand Avenue.
Home is where you’re supposed to feel safe. But for Young, it’s been a disaster.
“This has been about a month and a half but for the last three weeks everything has been falling apart,” said Young.
Young said her previous apartment had damage like what she’s experiencing currently. Yet, she never imagined having to endure it again.
"There's fibers of toilet paper in the kitchen sink. There's feces and toilet paper coming up out of the drain,” she said as she showed our 10TV the inside of her home.
Young told us a piece of the ceiling in the kitchen fell on her daughter’s head.
"I'm trying to keep faith but I’m very doubtful. I’m trying to keep it together for my kids,” she said.
The city has taken note and is acting.
"Folks that live in Colonial Village trying to raise their families there, they deserve better,” said Klein.
He said it’s a place that's no stranger to crime, violence and countless code violations.
"They have 30 days to fix a whole host of problems, ranging from sanitary conditions to public safety. If they don’t, we are prepared to move for receivership, a third party to come in and take control of the property,” said Klein.
The organization Starfish Assignment helped put the family in a hotel for a few nights. Young hopes she'll never have to step foot in that apartment again.
“They really need to tear everything down here and condemn it,” Young said.
10TV tried getting a comment from the apartment complex in person and over the phone but have not yet heard back.
The city said there will be another hearing on Sept. 14.