Persistent problems at Eureka Garden complex outrage Jax activists

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News that problems still persist at Jacksonville’s troubled Eureka Garden public housing complex has local activists such as Denise Hunt steaming.

“I’m disgusted. I was assured these problems would be solved, and I even offered a case management plan of action to help solve some of the inequities out there. I feel like I got snowballed,” Hunt told WJCT, although she was more supportive in her remarks about local officials.

Both Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio have expressed outrage about the ongoing deplorable conditions at Eureka Garden and demanded action.

HUD officials have ordered the owner of the Tennessee-based Global Ministries Foundation, the Rev. Richard Hamlet, to clean up conditions at the complex, along with another one in Jacksonville, or sell the properties.

“We’re talking persistent mold, persistent roaches, and health hazards like problems with unsafe stairs,” Hunt said. “He’s been given adequate time to address this and it’s horrible. It’s ridiculous.”

Melissa Ross

In addition to her work writing for Florida Politics, Melissa Ross also hosts and produces WJCT’s First Coast Connect, the Jacksonville NPR/PBS station’s flagship local call-in public affairs radio program. The show has won four national awards from Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI). First Coast Connect was also recognized in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 as Best Local Radio Show by Folio Weekly’s “Best Of Jax” Readers Poll and Melissa has also been recognized as Folio Weekly’s Best Local Radio Personality. As executive producer of The 904: Shadow on the Sunshine State, Melissa and WJCT received an Emmy in the “Documentary” category at the 2011 Suncoast Emmy Awards. The 904 examined Jacksonville’s status as Florida’s murder capital. During her years in broadcast television, Melissa picked up three additional Emmys for news and feature reporting. Melissa came to WJCT in 2009 with 20 years of experience in broadcasting, including stints in Cincinnati, Chicago, Orlando and Jacksonville. Married with two children, Melissa is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism/Communications. She can be reached at [email protected].



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