MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee mom is dealing with sewage backups in her apartment basement, a problem that has persisted now for nearly two weeks.
Montesha Pringle, who lives in an apartment managed by Berrada Properties, said the growing pool of sewage in her basement has created a strong, unpleasant odor.
“It’s horrible. It’s like a dump site, that’s what it smells like,” Pringle said. “Everything you can flush down the toilet, BM, urine, tissue- it’s coming up and not coming from my house.”
Beyond the foul smell, she’s worried the situation poses health risks for her and her family, including her three-year-old son.
"We can get sick from this," she said. "I’ve gotten sick from it before, and I know it can happen again, but he’s little. His immune system isn’t fully there yet.”
Pringle said it started about two weeks ago and has grown. Along with calling Berrada Properties, she submitted two work orders, one on March 31st and another on April 4th. She said she has yet to hear back.
Pringle added this isn’t the first time it’s happened, sharing that crews have previously come to her apartment to fix the sewage backup.
TMJ4 News reached out to Berrada Properties Saturday evening via phone, text, and email for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
"How many times is this going to happen? When is it actually going to get fixed?" Pringle asked. "Why do I have to keep going through this for y’all to fix the problem?"
While the sewage problem remains unresolved, Pringle is not alone in facing challenges at Berrada Properties.
Jenna Rae, an investigative reporter who has been tracking issues at Berrada Properties for over two years, said tenants have reported problems such as leaking ceilings, lack of heat, and even maggots falling from ceilings.
Frustrated by the lack of action, Pringle is considering moving out.
"I don’t call this a home anymore," she said.
In December, Berrada agreed to pay more than $1.7 million to settle a lawsuit centered on tenant rights.
In response to the ongoing tenant disputes, the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection recently launched an online information hub aimed at assisting current and past tenants.
The resource hub includes information on how to file complaints.
Previous coverage can be found here.
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