GAUTIER -- After living with a moldy mess underneath the sink for nearly a year, Michael and Dawn Smith decided to take action. The couple began renting a townhouse at Magnolia Oaks in April 2006. Michael Smith said he and his wife were grateful for a place to live considering the housing shortage following Hurricane Katrina.

They moved into the townhouse understanding that repairs would be made in a timely manner.

Smith has an apartment inspection report dated April 1, 2006, that says the kitchen was unsanitary from mold and rotting cabinets due to a leak from the top floor. The report also states the refrigerator and bathroom medicine cabinet were in bad condition because of rusting, and the apartment was infested with roaches. The report concludes by stating repairs would be made in 30 days for any deficiencies noted.

A year later, Smith said he is tired of being put off by the apartment's management and called Gautier code enforcement officers to examine the moldy mess growing under his kitchen sink.

On April 2, code enforcement officer Terri Hanson posted a notice on the Smith's apartment that says the dwelling is "not habitable until repairs are made."

According to Smith, the mold was the main issue as well as exposed wires from the air conditioning unit. The wires have since been capped, but as of Monday morning, the mold still grew beneath the sink.

Apartment manager Cindy Zwick refused to comment Monday. Regional manager Pam Wicker also declined to comment.

According to Smith, Zwick and Wicker are sisters and the complex is owned by the Hallmark Companies in Atlanta, Ga. Representatives from the Hallmark Companies did not return phone calls to The Mississippi Press on Monday.
Smith said he and his wife decided to move from the townhouse when their lease expired on March 31.

"I have an eight-week-old baby living in this," Smith said. "I'm just a lowly pipefitter out at the shipyard. I don't live above my means, I just want them to do what they are supposed to do."

Smith said he secured another apartment in Ocean Springs and tried to move at the end of March, but Zwick told him he must give 30 days notice, as written in the lease, prior to moving.

"She said it would cost an extra month's rent," Smith said. "With the strike -- well, I hated to lose that money."
Smith said he paid $690 a month for the townhouse when he rented it in April, but now the rent has increased to $825 a month.

"That's just not right to increase the rent when they aren't taking care of the things that need to be done," Smith said.
For now, Smith and his family are living with his parents. He said Zwick gave him another apartment, but it has the same problems as the one his family was living in.

"I'm just going to keep calling code enforcement," Smith said.

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