Extensive sewage overflow problems at apartments on North Montgomery Street have led to properties at the complex to be condemned by the Starkville Board of Aldermen.
Camelot Court, LLC has faced multiple code compliance complaints since August.
The vote of 5 to 0, with Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn abstaining, sets in motion a 60-day timeline for tenants to leave the condemned properties at 1040 N. Montgomery St. On Day 61, the city will turn off electric and water utilities to the complex, according to Community Development Director Buddy Sanders.
Following the set timeline, Sanders would request for aldermen to field bids from contractors to demolish the problem apartments.
Three of the four properties owned by Camelot Court were condemned Tuesday evening. In the area, four of the six buildings are located on the four properties, with 16 units being affected. Two buildings owned by Dennis Long, Luisa Diaz and C&H Development recently complied with cleaning up trash, restoring electrical boxes and cutting the grass in the area—protecting the nearby properties from any penalty.
It is unclear how many residents live in the problem apartments, but two residents spoke during the public hearing session of Tuesday's meeting and said they had not met the new landlord of Camelot Court. Residents also questioned what they would do if they were forced out of the apartments.
The city is not required to accommodate residents, and those living in the condemned buildings must adhere to terms and conditions specified in their lease agreements. Residents who spoke, Barbara Davis and Sherron Mitchell, both acknowledged the problems in the area, while noting the accumulation of trash and increasing crime in the area near Camelot from outside visitors.
Both Mitchell and Davis live in the properties near the condemned properties. Both acknowledged not knowing the identity of their current landlord. Property records show Camelot Court owners include Cory Anthony and J. Slade Kraker. Anthony was notified by city staff of the problem initially in August, and indicated the problem would be resolved—but the issue remained, and city staff checked the property Wednesday, according to community development staff.
Sewage overflow issues at the site were investigated Aug. 8 and 30, and the city found the hazardous waste was flowing to a local ditch in the area south of the property.
On September 9, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality investigated the site, and viewed large amounts of human waste in the area, with the "area [being] covered in maggots," according to the report. The sewage problem was documented flowing towards a drainage ditch, the report said.
"It's going to a ditch that will essentially go into a watershed that will end up in a creek, which will cause an environmental issue," Sanders said in October. "That's why MDEQ is involved."
The sewage problem appears to have originated from an open clean-out at the base of the fourth building in the complex, with the ground surrounding the area being "saturated with sewage," an MDEQ letter to property owners October 17 said.
On Oct. 26, a cap was placed on the sewage opening, but the temporary fix caused sewage to flow out of other areas of the property. The cap was removed Oct. 31, Sanders noted.
"Water samples found that the fecal count was so high, it could not be registered," he said at Tuesday's meeting.
Inspections to the site on Nov. 30 and Tuesday found no changes in the overflow issues.
Law enforcement issues
The problem apartments have consistently been an issue for Starkville police. Since August 2013, officers responded to calls in the area 567 times, according to crime statistics.
Forty-one calls were prompted for security checks and criminal activity witnessed by patrolling SPD officers. Thirty-six calls were the result of simple assaults, disturbances, loud music, loitering, fights and drug activity, according to city data.
Crime statistics from SPD claim officers responded to a call to Camelot every 29 hours over the last three months, and every 46 hours over the last three years. A fatal shooting of a juvenile at the complex last March was determined to be in self-defense during an incident at Camelot.
Police statistics show for the last six months, officers were two-thirds more likely to get called to Camelot than to Brooksville Gardens, which is "another area considered a high-crime area," according to SPD.