'It was sewer water': Months after the flood, Henrico renters wait for answers

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A flood that filled an Oakland Chase apartment with water left a Henrico woman dealing with exposed walls and unanswered questions for weeks before her complex's parent company responded.

Dee, an Oakland Chase resident who wanted to keep her identity private, said the flooding began late one night in August.

"My neighbor came knocking on my door, I think it was 11:30 or 10:30 and I came out the door and all I saw was water," Dee said.

She described water that smelled foul and left her belongings soaked.

"All through here, my rug, my table was just soppy wet," Dee said. "It was sewer water; it smelled of odor... the water had sand and black dirt in it."

For several weeks, the walls in Dee's apartment were cut out and exposed because of water damage from the flooding.

She said she had been trying to get information from the complex about when the issues would be fixed.

"We have just dealt with this since that time with the walls being open, and nothing has been done; we're waiting on corporate," Dee said.

I reached out to Oakland Chase's parent company, United Property Associates, which said the flooding that occurred Aug. 16 was the result of a tree root impacting the plumbing system, which damaged three units.

The company said it had received permission from Henrico County to remove the tree that caused the problems.

United Property Associates also said a memo was sent to the affected residents earlier in the month informing them that they would be temporarily relocated from Oct. 12 to Oct. 21 to a nearby hotel to allow specific repairs to be made safely and efficiently. The company said additional rent concessions would be provided in November for the specific residents.

Dee said she hopes the situation is now behind her.

"Hopefully it will never happen again," Dee said.

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