A.G. Gancarski
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio visited a Westside Jacksonville apartment complex Tuesday that underwent improvements at his urging.
Rubio was at Valencia Way Apartments, bringing full circle work he began half a decade ago on behalf of the complex and three others referred to as the “Jacksonville Four.”
When the complex was under different ownership and was called Eureka Gardens, it was infamous for rundown conditions, which posed threats to health and safety for occupants. A riled Rubio, along with Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis, agitated for action. Eventually, the ownership sold, and the rehab began in earnest for the Section 8 complex off Cassat Avenue.
Rubio discussed the journey to renovations for the units, saying it was the “beginning of the beginning.”
He noted that in 2015, he was largely absent when concerns were first raised.
“I was running for President so I wasn’t around much,” Rubio said, adding “I didn’t win.”
While Rubio clearly lost the Primary battle, he was positioned, he said, to find new meaning in his Senate role, after having read through staff memos documenting the deterioration.
“I couldn’t believe Americans were living in these conditions. I couldn’t believe the federal government was paying for it,” Rubio said. “We were getting played. We were getting scammed.”
New ownership and renovations solved the problems, but Rubio noted that other “forgotten places” are even worse.”
Though the work is largely done at Valencia Way, other complexes present pressing problems still.
Florida’s U.S. senators combined earlier this month to urge federal officials to remedy conditions at Jacksonville’s Eastside Gardens Apartments and Eastside Terrace Apartments, adding that the “slumlord” who owns them should be cut off from future low income housing contracts.
Rubio and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott teamed up on a letter to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. They urged Marcia Fudge to immediately help the families at the two substandard complexes and ensure that owner Andrew Podray is “debarred” from these programs.
Rubio has a history of concern about low income housing in Jacksonville, including another complex, Hilltop Village, earlier this year. He pressed HUD with concerns, with the same urgency he did five years ago when Barack Obama was President.
Other local leaders were on hand, including Democrats who represent the area.
Rep. Angie Nixon, a longtime community organizer who worked with residents of the former Eureka Gardens, described the remodeled community center as a “complete 180” from what it was before.
Dennis noted that in 2015, the conditions were a “reality check” for him and others newly elected that year.
“This place didn’t just happen in 2015,” Dennis said, noting cries for help went unheeded previously.
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