JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than a year after new owners promised renovations at two Eastside apartment complexes, residents said they’re still waiting to see the improvements while dealing with persistent maintenance issues.
Residents at Townsend Boylan Flats, formerly known as Eastside Terrace, and its sister property Eastside Gardens continued to report problems such as deteriorating infrastructure, including unsafe stairwells.
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Similar concerns plague residents at Eastside Gardens as well.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gave Eastside Gardens a score of 99 in July 2023, a dramatic improvement from its 56 rating in 2022. However, residents question the validity of this score given their continued struggles with maintenance issues.
“I just had a baby, and I’m scared to bring him home because of how the apartments are,” said one Eastside Gardens resident, who also requested anonymity due to concerns about speaking publicly.
The properties’ troubles first came to light in a 2021 News4JAX investigation. In 2023, a nonprofit and developer purchased both complexes with promises of major renovations.
Property owners responded to inquiries about the ongoing issues, stating they have made several improvements to units and surrounding areas since acquiring the properties.
According to management, they are “actively reviewing quotes to upgrade the stairwells” and have outlined priorities for the next six months, including:
- Ongoing in-unit renovations
- Maintaining completed renovations
- Beginning updates to the on-site playground
Some residents, however, believe more drastic measures are needed.
“They need to take these apartments down and rebuild them from scratch,” said an Eastside Gardens resident. “They need to really take their time and put some money into these apartments. We deserve it.”
Despite the long way to go, some residents were hopeful that the promised renovation would turn into progress.