Hundreds of residents at a Plano apartment complex must vacate their homes by November 4 after city officials obtained a court order citing dangerous living conditions, including mold, sewage leaks, and a lack of basic utilities.
The emergency legal action affects Evana Grove Apartments on Hillridge Drive, where tenants scrambled on Tuesday to pack belongings as blue notices appeared on doors. City officials estimate 200 people face immediate relocation needs.
A Collin County District Court issued the temporary restraining order requiring property owners and management to clear all units. The order initially gave property owners just 24 hours to evacuate before they filed a motion to extend the deadline.
“We understand how difficult and stressful this situation is for the people living there,” the City of Plano said in a statement, per NBC 5 DFW. “Our priority is the safety and well-being of everyone in our community. The conditions at Evana Grove are unsafe and unsanitary, leaving residents without gas, water, or sewer services.”
Court documents reveal repeated code violations and environmental hazards that prompted the city’s legal action. The problems have persisted for years, according to Curtis Howard, Plano’s neighborhood services director.
“For the city, this has been a long-term issue,” Howard said, NBC 5 reported. “We’ve been dealing with this complex for a number of years.”
Residents described deteriorating conditions that made the units unlivable, and many have left poor reviews of the complex on Google, where the apartments have an average rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars. Residents detailed complaints such as broken water pipes, broken dishwashers, no hot water, trash on the grounds, roach infestations, non-working HVAC systems, and more, all with little to no response from the apartment maintenance team.
“DO NOT EVEN THINK OF MOVING IN THIS PLACE,” wrote Noy Luangamath, who gave the complex a 1-star rating about a year ago. “there is a dang good reasons why the review rating is so low. i should have listened. i’ve been here just over a month. there are fleas, roaches, dish washer and garbage disposal not working. i reported and request service from day one and they just ignored. NOTHING HAS BEEN FIXED YET. i don’t have hot water for 22 days straight.”
“ZERO STARS! ZERO STARS!!!” wrote resident Elizabeth Howard four years ago. “This is the worst place Ive ever lived. Completely [un]inhabitable. There is mold growing in all of the air vents, on all of the window seals, and under cabinets. They have a very bad infestation problem. Water resides in the walls so your house will always smell like mildew and feces.”
Danielle Brehm, who moved in with her children over the summer, learned about the evacuation order when her husband called while she was at work.
“We don’t really have anywhere to go. Where do they expect us to go? What are they expecting us to do?” she said, per NBC 5.
Brehm detailed multiple problems plaguing her unit since move-in day.
“Our dishwasher has never worked since day one, there’s mold inside,” she told NBC 5. “They know there is mold in the apartment; they know there is mold all around everywhere. It’s been problem after problem after problem.”
Howard emphasized safety concerns that extend beyond individual apartments to common areas. Children face particular risks from hazardous conditions throughout the property.
“You want people to live in a safe place,” he said, NBC 5 reported. “You want kids that are running around a parking lot to be in an area where they’re not going to step into broken glass or run into sewage that’s leaking out of the pavement.”
The city’s Neighborhood Services team contacted residents before water service termination to offer housing assistance. Officials pledged continued support to connect displaced tenants with resources.
“We will continue working closely with residents to connect them with resources and ensure they have access to safe and sanitary conditions,” the city stated.
Management at Evana Grove Apartments has not responded to requests for comment. The November 4 deadline leaves residents less than a week to secure alternative housing.