ABBEVILLE, KATC - For Rodney Plowden, the transition from his apartment at James A. Herod Apartments to a motel has been anything but easy.
"I feel like my voice isn’t being heard at all," Plowden said, standing in the motel room that’s now his home. Plowden, who has lived at the motel since mid-February, packed only a suitcase and a few clothes when he and other tenants were given a three-day notice to vacate due to life-threatening violations.
"This is where I live, well, where I’m living now, this is the room they gave us," he said as he walked to his temporary home, a far cry from the apartment he had called home.
Tenants were told to leave the premises with just one bag after being informed of critical safety violations, including non-functioning smoke detectors and an outdated sprinkler system. The violations prompted an emergency evacuation for residents of the Abbeville property.
An investigation into the property’s history revealed years of safety violations. State Fire Marshal records show the last required sprinkler system inspection was conducted 12 years ago. Additionally, some tenant spaces lacked functioning smoke detectors, multiple electrical codes were violated, and fire extinguishers were not certified. These long-standing hazards raised serious concerns about tenant safety.
You can see the inspection reports for yourself by scrolling down.
Elbert Dawson, the board president of the nonprofit organization that owns the apartments, spoke with us about the situation. Dawson acknowledged that these issues predated his involvement with the property but conceded that the organization should have acted sooner.
"Well no, the issues came up prior to me starting, but we do bear some responsibility," Dawson said. "We should have called someone in to do the inspection immediately. But several times this year, the fire alarm went off, even the fire department came out, and nobody mentioned it to me."
Documents obtained by KATC showed that James A. Herod Apartments received state housing trust funds totaling $350,000 in August 2023. When asked about the allocation of those funds, Dawson provided few specifics.
"The money that we are dealing with now are the ones that we received—yeah—the money is still there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Plowden and other tenants are still waiting for resolution. "We’re at a standstill," he said, as initial promises of repairs within two weeks have yet to be fulfilled. Now, with March rent looming, many, including Plowden, are worried about their future.
"It makes me worry if I’m going to be on the streets or if I’m going to get back in my apartment," Plowden said.
In response to questions regarding tenant rights, Taylor Robinson, a housing managing attorney, explained that tenants like Plowden have legal recourse.
"They do have the right to break the lease agreement if the property is no longer habitable at all," Robinson said. "I just caution people when you’re breaking the lease, you want to make sure you have a lot of evidence, so take lots of pictures."
For now, Plowden’s biggest hope is simply to return home. "I hope they can find a solution to this problem because it’s really bothering me and it’s frustrating," he said.
UPDATE: The Abbeville City Council member who represents the area where these apartments are located has sent us a statement about the situation:
"Based on the facts presented, it is my opinion that the tenants have been displaced through no fault of their own. Therefore, they should not be held liable for rent or threatened with eviction for refusing to pay," said Council Member Terry Brousard. "This situation is unjust, lacks compassion, and shows a total disregard for the tenants' well-being. The property owner must take full responsibility for what has happened.
"As the Representative for District D, I want to extend my gratitude to Mayor Roslyn White, the various nonprofits, organizations, and private citizens who stepped up and answered the call. Your willingness to help in a time of need speaks volumes about the strength of our community."
For tenant rights and information, you can visit Acadiana Legal Service Corporation
Here are the inspection reports:
