Amanda's Urgent Need: Safe Living Space

Click here to see a full gallery of videos and photos of the apartment damage. The apartment has blocked Amanda on social media and tries to silence her when she shares these photos online.

In September 2024, Amanda was unexpectedly laid off with minimal notice and financial assistance from her employers in Nevada. After months of searching without luck for other employment while battling health issues related to her chronic conditions and stress, and being denied unemployment for months on end, Amanda drained both her personal savings and the small inheritance she had received from her deceased mother and was forced to give up her beautiful 2-bedroom apartment in the Arts District of Las Vegas. She had no choice but to relocate back to the DFW area in Texas so that she could be close to her daughter while trying to figure out next-steps.

Unfortunately, the cost of living in DFW has skyrocketed (a recent study stated that DFW has now become the most expensive area in Texas to live, surpassing even Austin) and after frantic apartment hunting what limited options were in her budget and finally landing a full-time remote job, Amanda was able to secure a one bedroom apartment at a complex. She moved into the apartment in February and on February 23, the moving company delivered her things from Las Vegas. The moving company damaged many of her items in transit but because she was not able to afford the supplemental insurance policy, they refused to work with her and even after arbitration and getting the BBB involved, the insurance company refused to give her anything except $100 in exchange for thousands of dollars in damaged or missing items.

But the nightmare wasn't over. Amanda had toured one unit and liked it, and told the leasing agent that this was what she wanted. Upon arriving in Texas, after paying her deposit and admin fees, the complex told her that the unit had been leased but they had a 'very similar' one to offer her 'at an even better price'. The new unit was an entirely different floor plan and much smaller, and had many outdated, broken, dysfunctional features including faulty plumbing, an AC that does not cool the apartment, and multiple electric outlets that do not work. The complex in general is unsafe, with garbage everywhere and cars being broken into frequently. The real horror began the first time it rained, however. Amanda woke up to her bedroom sitting under about a 1/4" of water, the carpet and pad beneath completely soaked. The complex sent out a repairman to suck out the water and put industrial fans to dry it out, but two days later it rained again and the room flooded once more. They again replaced the carpet and determined the issue, claiming that it was 'fixed' even though the room retained a horrible damp mustiness after that and she could still hear water running inside her bedroom wall every time it rained. In March, a large rainstorm came through and the window of her living room began to gush water because part of the windowsill collapsed. The wall had so much water stored in it that the paint began to bubble and swell with it, and moisture ran down the wall over her work computer, her desk, and her rugs. Multiple items were destroyed by the dirty water, and Amanda called emergency maintenance multiple times but got no response. The next day the apartment manager sent maintenance to come 'repair' the window with caulk. The next rainstorm it happened again... and again... and again. On June 3, after the fifth major water leak, Amanda finally reached out to the City of Mesquite's inspection team. They sent out a code inspector, who found the building in violation and told them that they had 30 days to make the repair.

The complex is still refusing to compensate Amanda for anything - they gave her a $250 rental credit to make up for 'the inconvenience' of having her apartment flood 5 times, but refuse to handle any damages for her items that were lost when the window collapsed. She is forced to work in the living room next to the damaged window because it is the only internet outlet in the apartment and she has to be hard-wired into a secure internet connection for her job. The apartment still smells damp and musty all the time, and the inspector agreed there is probably mold and mildew in the walls since they retain so much moisture. There are now insects in the apartment, and the flooring is beginning to lift up due to the moisture.

The complex told Amanda that they would let her out of her lease without penalty if she wanted to move. The repair they need to make will be a massive construction project that will leave her displaced for up to two weeks, and they will not compensate her for this time. She would have to move her personal things out of the room as well due to drywall dust and construction workers etc, and she would have no place to work.

As such, Amanda wants to leave this apartment. She has found a new complex located in a rural, quiet, safe area in a brand new building for almost the same price, which promises safety and security and peace of mind. It is ADA-accessible and well within her budget, and about 200 more square feet per month, with energy-efficient appliances and much cheaper utilities. It is in a much better school district as well, which will allow her daughter to have a better education when school starts in the fall.

Unfortunately, Amanda is absolutely in financial straits right now. Due to the period of unemployment, an unexpected brake job with her car, childcare expenses, moving back from out of state, and a major medical expense that she hadn't planned on, she does not have the finances to move right now. The new complex requires the first month rent up front to hold the unit for 60 days, which will allow her the time to pack her belongings. She also has to hire movers for the day of move-in, as she has no one to help her move in DFW and her disability makes it impossible for her to move by herself.

Any donation that you make will be used to cover moving costs and the first months' rent/admin fees at the new complex. You will be contributing to getting a single disabled mother out of a dangerous, stressful and incredibly unsafe place to live and helping her recover from what has been one hell of a year, so that she can live peacefully in a small, quiet apartment with her daughter and begin to rebuild her life in 2025.

Thank you so much for reading and for your consideration. Every dollar helps, and every good thought and well wish is very appreciated.