Albany leaders push for better apartment oversight following sewage issues

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – Albany Ward 4 City Commissioner Chad Warbington said he believes nearly half of Treeside Apartments’ residents moved out of the apartment building since the widespread sewage issue.

Warbington said he does not believe the complex was completely full, to begin with, and that shutting the buildings down for a short amount of time was not ideal.

Warbington said under new management, the complex was able to get all new contractors and get the sewage issue fixed quickly. The city commissioner added that only three units are still deemed unlivable and that those families have been relocated by the complex until further notice.

Under the new contractors, Warbington said apartment management told him that they plan on fixing other widespread maintenance issues such as mold, holes in walls, falling ceilings, leaking water and electricity issues.

The unkept buildings are high on the city’s agenda.

“Going forward, this is a priority for the city,” Warbington said. “We’ve got to get the derelict apartments cleaned up. One of the enforcement things is when you have an owner of these large apartment complexes who live multiple states away and they’re not connected locally. They don’t know the condition of the property. If their management is not managing it properly, that’s how these properties go downhill fast.”

Warbington adds that he believes the loss of this many tenants, as well as revenue, will force management to start to keep up with their properties. He said he is hopeful that given some time, this complex’s future will take a turn for the better.

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