Gastonia, NC residents share outcry over living conditions at apartment homes

GASTONIA, N.C. — On Plum Tree Lane in Gastonia, two families are moving out, saying their living conditions are putting their health at risk. 

“We can’t be here, but where else can we go right now with one income? It’s hard,” said Carlos Breaux, who’s a tenant at the apartment homes owned by Carolina Property Management.

That’s the same question circling the minds of Breaux, Demetrius Jefferson, and their neighbor Renashsa Robins.

“I’m looking for another place, but I cannot afford it right now. I have five boys, and nothing right now is easy—trying to find a place for five boys is not the easiest thing in the world right now,” Robins told WCNC Charlotte.

But according to all three renters, neither are the living conditions, especially when they say their health is on the line.

Robins said health issues caused by the poor living conditions are a big part of what led to her hospitalization early this year.

“We were under the house for a little bit, trying to get things for them to come out—like looking for things, telling them what needed to be fixed, and I came out of the house and started throwing up,” she said. “I went to the hospital and they told me I had carbon monoxide in my system.”

Jefferson said he deals with a slew of issues every day.  

“We had plumbing issues, pests living in the walls, the heating system was not working,” he said. “So, they had to come in and replace the water pump. We’ve been dealing with termite damage, which is the biggest issue, causing soft spots in the floors, dips.”

All three said that before moving in, their homes were livable. But once they moved in, it wasn’t long before things started going downhill. They say management would come and “patch up a job” but never truly fix the problems.   

WCNC Charlotte did reach out to Carolina Property Management, but did not hear back by our deadline.

“There isn’t a concrete plan about what’s next, but we know right here isn’t the plan,” Jefferson said.

Breaux and Jefferson are looking for temporary shelter until things at their home can be resolved. They ask that things just be returned to livable conditions.

Contact Bria Smith at bsmith6@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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