Posted: 3:07 PM May 6, 2012
Reporter: Laura Warren

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News 12 at 6 o' clock / Sunday, May 6, 2012

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A mobile home park in Augusta has been at the center of a full-scale investigation since a 5-month-old was found dead, living in deplorable conditions.

On Thursday, a number of agencies combed through every square inch of the neighborhood and what they found was disturbing.

Agencies found a number of health hazards, code violations and even condemned several properties, and after this surprise inspection, some fear they may lose their homes if the whole place gets condemned.

"I was awakened the other morning by the health code inspector, and I was terrified. They showed me some things that I hadn't even noticed," one Pineview tenant told News 12's Laura Warren.

She's too scared to reveal her name or face after she says management threatened some of the tenants for speaking out.

"The health inspector brought it to my attention that the electrical box has no switches, so I'm living in a matchbox," she said.

Cpt. Scott Gay with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office was on scene for the inspection, and he described the conditions as deplorable.

"Windows being riveted shut, no steps, some of them don't have windows up, it's just plastic. Some of the siding is falling off, no water, of course the sewage is always an issue because it's backed up right now," he said.

One tenant says, "I've been in the office a couple of times, and they just make it clear that they don't have the funds. Or the tools or things to fix the things."

After code enforcement and multiple other agencies inspected Pineview trailer park, it became clear that action had to be taken soon.

"Something's going to happen, and I hope the end result is that they're going to move them all out," Commissioner Bill Lockett said.

But the real question is: Who is to blame for the conditions? The owners? Management? The tenants?

"I would put all the blame on ownership," Lockett said.

"The management company is responsible for the upkeep of the homes and the park itself," Gay said.

And, Michael Watkins who just moved into Pineview says, "A place you live is what you make of it. And a lot of them people make that place what it is."

But regardless of who is to blame, one thing is for sure: The current conditions are just not going to cut it.

Law enforcement officials say they have a meeting set up for this week to discuss all of the issues with the owners. We tried to seek out management for an interview, but they declined to comment. We were told the plumbing was being worked on, though.

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