Nelson Street family living in fear in decaying HDC apartment

An occupant of the Housing Development Corporation's (HDC) Nelson Street (West), Port of Spain development is pleading for help with multiple plumbing, structural and electrical faults in her apartment.Jamila Nelson has lived in the apartment for the past 35 years. She said she has been asking for the HDC's help for over a decade, but is yet to receive any assistance with the multitude of issues at her home.

Nelson, a single mother of three, says her living conditions are not conducive to a humane quality of life. She said her youngest son is partially blind and is especially at risk. Two of her sons, nine and 11, live with her, and the third, who is to sit the SEA this school year, is living with a cousin.

Asked to describe the issues, Nelson said the ceiling has been cracking, breaking and falling on her, her sons and their belongings. She expressed fear that the issues are gravely worsening, as water is coming through electrical outlets, causing them to spark, and leaving lights in the apartment useless. She said directly above her is a condemned washroom that floods when the rain falls. The water from the washroom above also floods her gallery and has caused the structural and water damage to her apartment.

Nelson said going to the media was a last resort after her many attempts to contact the HDC, since due process has had no effect on the increasing issues at her family's home.

She said, "I don't want to be in work and hear my apartment on fire with my sons inside.

"HDC have to understand don't everybody living there is criminals or selling drugs, it have honest hard-working people here too.

"I'm not owing on my rent or electricity bills. I just want my sons to live comfortable, please.

"Every time I go HDC or call I always getting (a) runaround, and I really can't take it (no) more."

Asked what response she had received from the HDC, she said the last time officials visited, they said they did not have the materials needed to repair the structural damage, and so she has tried to do some repairs on her own to ensure the comfort and safety of her family.

When the Newsday visited the Nelson Street, housing development on Wednesday, strategically placed containers could be spotted around the apartment. Nelson explained that she has to put them out to catch water dripping from the ceiling.

She said her building, 51-53, has no pipe-borne water and is reliant on the kindness of a neighbour, who installed an outdoor pipe and has allowed other occupants of the building to run hoses to their apartments.

Nelson also pointed out an exposed waste pipe in her apartment that is emitting a foul odour.

When the Newsday contacted the HDC, officials said they were unaware of Nelson's issues and the corporation intends to look into the situation.