11 Investigates EXCLUSIVE: Residents claim living conditions aren't much better than being on street
11 Investigates spoke exclusively to residents who live at the Wood Street Common on 3rd Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh.
They are speaking out for the first time about living conditions at the apartment building downtown that provides low-income and transitional housing for the homeless.
'Paint is bubbling off the walls, my ceiling, you know what I mean, water, is water damage,' said Dewayne Young, who's been in the apartments for two years.
Young and Andrew Huntley both described living conditions at the Wood Street Commons.
'Cockroaches, bed bugs, mold, loud music,' said Huntley, who moved in earlier this year.
It's a subsidized apartment building with 260 units.
'There's mold. Oh yeah, oh definitely, it's filthy,' said Young.
'There's literally a bed bug on my hoodie right there. I've been seeing bed bugs and cock roaches crawling all over my stuff,' said Huntley, who showed 11 Investigates videos he took while in his apartment.
Residents also sent pictures from inside the building.
In those pictures, there's water damage to ceiling tiles, ceiling tiles that have been removed and wires exposed, and what appears to be mold on pipes, holes in the walls, dirty and broken floor tiles and bathroom residents said out of order for months.
Earle: Did you expect better conditions? Did you expect more from this place?
Dwayne Young: I mean, Yeah, Yeah, I did because like I figured if you're going there and you're paying rent, you know what I mean, it should be.
Young and Huntley, who both rely on federal assistance, moved here from the Light of Life Mission.
Young pays $325.00 per month in rent.
Huntley pays $415.00 a month.
'They know he doesn't have any money, so they're forcing him to get disability and when he gets disability, they take his check,' said Adrienne Young, Huntley's cousin.
Adrienne Young, who founded Tree of Hope, a nonprofit that works with families impacted by gun violence, is Dwayne Young's cousin.
'It's outrageous, unacceptable, deplorable conditions, inhumane conditions,' said Adrienne Young.
Earle: Have you seen the drug dealing in there?
Huntley: Oh yeah.
Earle: There's drug dealing inside the building?
Huntley: Ooh yeah.
One picture sent to 11 Investigates shows the overdose drug Narcan on a shelf in a hallway.
Residents said there's one on every floor.
Several years ago, 11 Investigates told you about a resident who overdosed and died, but wasn't found until days later.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Family angry after loved one dies & body not found for days in downtown shelter
And according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office, six people have died here of drug overdoses during the past five years.
'It's horrible. It really is, it's really horrible,' said Dwayne Young.
'This place is not only dangerous, it's unlivable and we need to do something about it soon,' said Adrienne Young.
11 Investigates reached out to the Allegheny County Department of Human Services for a response.
'For the DHS/CHS-funded units, DHS conducts on-site monitoring and housing quality standards inspections to ensure that units meet HUD habitability standards. Our staff have heard some complaints occasionally, and when we hear of these concerns, we share them with the property owner. Our experience has been that the property manager has resolved these concerns appropriately. Generally, DHS receives complaints from recipients of our services through the DHS Director's Action Line; DHS has only received sporadic and infrequent complaints about Wood Street Commons related to building concerns and there has not been an increase in complaints recently. If people are experiencing issues in any DHS program, including the CHS-operated units, we encourage them to reach out to our Director's Action Line at 1-800-862-6783. It is our understanding that the Housing Authority for the City of Pittsburgh inspects units where a voucher is being used.'
11 Investigates went through the city inspection reports for that building, but didn't find anything remarkable.
Since our interview, Dwayne Young has moved out and into another apartment.
Andrew Huntley said he is planning on moving as well.
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