Tanika Nichols faced foul smells inside her Toledo apartment following a major plumbing backup. The unresolved maintenance problems inside the public housing property have left her pushing for urgent building repairs.
Nichols stated that she endured the smell of waste for an entire week. The foul odor appeared every time she turned on the water inside her home. It quickly spread into her clean laundry.
“All the clothes that’s sitting on my couch, I have to re-wash,” Nichols said.
Nichols has lived at the Lucas Metropolitan Housing property for six years. The waste backed up inside her sink last week. She said she reported the issue to the maintenance department immediately.
A contractor visited the unit and cleared out the clogged drains. Nichols stated that workers told her the service was only a temporary fix.
“They don’t come fix nothing,” Nichols said.
The tenant stated she has waited more than two years for other basic repairs. Observers noted at least five holes in the walls. Some of the wall openings remained partially covered. Nichols called the housing office repeatedly for help.
“I actually feel like I have nothing. I can’t even turn my house into a home,” Nichols said.
The housing authority said it received two calls on Sunday, Oct. 11. Those messages arrived through the emergency line at 6:49 p.m. and 7:22 p.m. Maintenance staff located an exterior sewer backup that evening.
Staff members advised the building supervisor to hire an outside contractor. The contractor finished the repairs on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Nichols did not have to pay for that work.
LMH stated it plans to complete the lingering drywall repairs this week. The agency issued an apology to Nichols for the long delays. It also acknowledged poor follow-through on the wall repairs.
“We recognize that our communication and follow-through regarding those repairs did not meet our expectations or the level of service our residents should receive.”
The agency announced a complete review of its internal communication procedures. Staff members handle repair calls across several residential properties in Toledo. Housing authorities routinely manage contracted plumbing repairs and drywall maintenance for income-qualified families.
Agency leadership stated resident well-being remains a top goal. Officials promised prompt responses and clear communication for future tenant maintenance requests.
