Residents at a northeast Miami-Dade condo community are concerned after the county's Unsafe Structures Unit declared the buildings “unsafe” for failing its 50-year recertification.
Vanessa Ortiz, a single mother of two, says she is moving out of the Jade Winds community because the conditions are too much for her to handle.
Over the last five years, she’s documented some of the issues including flooding in her unit, water dripping from the roof and mold on walls.
“It looks like a third world country,” Ortiz said. “Should I get my kids out of here and sleep in the car until we find somewhere else? I’m just overwhelmed, overloaded.”
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Another resident who didn’t want to be identified told NBC 6 that he’s surprised the county continues to let the management operate Jade Winds because of all the problems.
The recent notice from Miami-Dade Code Compliance says the county has given management specific instructions to address the issues. As of Tuesday evening, property management didn’t return NBC6’s phone calls or emails related to this matter.
Miami Dade’s Code Compliance records show several unsafe structure cases for Jade Winds, dating back to 2007.
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One of the most recent cases details what inspectors found including structural cracks on floors, exposed rebar and corrosion on a water valve that is in disrepair. There are other cases involving the property having expired permits.
As of Tuesday, residents have not been told to evacuate the buildings. But Ortiz says she doesn’t want to wait for a worst-case scenario.
“Honestly, I’m too anxious to be angry,” Ortiz said. “I think I feel sad for my neighbors who have to stay here.”
