HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Lorenzo Parker and his mother, Barbara Threatts, are among the 60 residents left homeless by the Darby House fire. While Parker says he is grateful to be alive, he says the temporary living situation is taking a toll.
"I'm glad that God saved us and spared our life from the fire," Parker said.
"However I think the situation that we're under is a bit more depressing," Parker said.
Parker and Threatts are currently staying at Extended Stay South off Paragon Place in Richmond and say they want out.
Inside their room, they say they found what appeared to be mold between the panels and underneath the counter, and layers of filth on the floor of the bathtub.
"This isn't happening because someone stayed here and left. This stuff is built up," Parker said.
The bathtub is also a problem for many Darby House residents, many of whom have mobility issues.
"The tub is too high for me to step over there and get in there any way, but right now the tub is not in a condition for me to bathe in," Threatts said.
"That's some of the conditions that's going on in here and that's kind of hard to live in," Threatts said.
Since Darby House residents were transferred from the Glen Allen Marriott to one of four extended stays across the greater Richmond area, the CBS 6 newsroom has received several complaints from residents and their caregivers about the conditions at Extended Stay South and what they say is a lack of urgency and concern from Darby House management and the hotel.
Parker says the conditions are especially troubling for residents with limited mobility.
"It's concerning with everybody that I've encountered. The ones that came in here pushing on a walker that barely can stand that have to sit down before they get to the door. How can they keep up their hygiene? How can they keep up themselves out their self-esteem if they can't even shower or bathe?" Parker said.
I reached out to Darby House's parent company, Homes for America, and Homes Opportunity Unlimited, who was responsible for relocating Darby House's residents, about the conditions they're facing. In a statement, they said:
"We are aware of a small number of concerns regarding the temporary hotel accommodations and have worked to ensure they were promptly shared with and addressed by hotel management."
Homes for America and Homes Opportunity Unlimited also said that while they have not received any reports of mold in the hotel rooms, they will continue working with their partners to address residents' needs and help them move into permanent housing as quickly as possible.
Management at Extended Stay America has not responded to a request for comment.
Residents like Parker and his mother hope that management holds true to their word.
"Somebody needs to help them get to a place that's safe and clean. That's all we're asking," Parker said.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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