BATON ROUGE - An apartment complex on Florida Boulevard is going to be shut down by mid-March. After a management company took over the property in January, it found it was not safe for tenants.

The Summer Grove Apartments in the 12000 block of Florida Boulevard was the subject of a 2 On Your Side report recently when tenants reached out worried their water would be shut off for non-payment.

In early February, tenants received word that the water bill had been paid by a lender and a management company said it was working to assess the property as a whole. It gave hope to some tenants.

"Relieved, relieved," Debbie Dukes said.

Around that time the city-parish sent an inspector to look at the property and wrote up a long list of issues that must be addressed. The list includes exterior structural issues, rodents, general unsafe conditions, and more. The violation notice gave management 30 days to get busy making repairs or they will be taken to court.

On Wednesday, tenants were given a notice letting them know the complex would be closing because the buildings are not suitable for occupancy. Barker Property Management has been overseeing the operations at Summer Grove Apartments and is working to help tenants relocate.

"I have to find a place on the bus route because I don't have a car," Dukes said.

Summer Grove Apartments has 80 units and about a dozen are occupied. Paul Wells told WBRZ he moved to the complex in 2022 because it was affordable. Now he'll have to find a new home.

"Don't know where to go, that's the scary part; I'm 63 years old I wouldn't know what to do," Wells said.

Tenants have until March 19 to move out.

Mayor Sid Edwards weighed in on the closure announcement:

"There is entirely too much blight in Baton Rouge, and my administration is actively working to correct the issue. If a structure is vacant, blighted, and contributing to crime in EBR Parish, there is no reason it should still be standing.  We are exploring possible solutions including collaboration with councilmembers to either revitalize existing structures or speed up the process of getting these buildings taken down."

The property is due for a city inspection at the end of February. The city says it is continuing to monitor the situation.

Barker says the plan is to shut down the property until an assessment can be made to make it suitable for occupancy. It's ultimately the decision of the lender or future owner as to how much would be invested and what that timeline will be. In the meantime, the building will be boarded up and secured as units are vacated.