PHOTOS: Petersburg City inspector tags multi-family home as ‘unfit for habitation,’ resident left with nowhere to go next
PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — In less than three months of being in her new home, a Petersburg woman is being forced to move out immediately after the City's property maintenance inspector tagged the home as "unfit for habitation." The yellow tag along with a note from the inspector -- which was placed on Wednesday afternoon -- can be found in front of the multi-family home. "This was the worst house they've ever seen. To be honest with you, that's exactly what they said," said Charlene Conner-Webb, a resident of one of the units. Conner-Webb along with her patient care assistant Kimberly Brown gave 8News a walk-through of the condition of the unit. The two showed 8News peeling on the walls, damaged parts of the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, mold under the lifting floors, as well as the bedroom and more. Brown explained that the stove was not working properly as one night Conner-Webb was cooking and "a fireball spirited up and singed her hair and burnt her finger." Brown said this was reported to the landlord, Diane Bowman, who said she would provide Conner-Webb with another stove -- but did not. "It hasn't really worked since I moved in—it's got one large burner and then three small burners," Conner-Webb said. "The large burner, you could put it on high and it would be like cooking as slow as it could be [and] the one right next to it, you could put it on low and it would turn cherry-red in a heartbeat and burn everything." In the bathroom, Brown pointed to the peeling ceiling over the bathtub and wiggled the toilet to show that it was not secure. A sort of "dip'' could be felt standing on parts of the bathroom floor and the two explained what is under it. "When the toilet leaks, the inspector said it's pushing back up sewage," said Connor-Webb and Brown. When approaching the threshold leading into the kitchen, Cobber-Webb showed how it was not installed properly. "Back in December she fell and she broke two ribs," Brown said. "It's not even put down properly because you can take your whole finger underneath of it," Conner-Webb said. Conner-Webb said upon conducting an initial walk-through with the landlord, she was told there were a few things that needed maintenance fixes. 8News asked Conner-Webb if she believed in that moment potentially moving into the home would be a bad choice. "Not at first, no, because she comes across sweet as pie and very accommodating," Conner-Webb said. 8News spoke with Bowman who said she was not able to comment on the matter based on advice from her attorney. Unbeknownst to 8News, Bowman's attorney was near her and when reporters asked for a comment from the attorney, they were told: "There are things you just don't know and there's a game being played." When 8News asked the attorney to identify themselves by their name and clarify the comment, they told reporters they do not wish to be ''misquoted'' and cannot identify themselves or further clarify. However, the attorney did note the matter will be taken to court. In reading the inspection exterior housing report, foundation walls, stairways, decks, windows and door frames are just some parts of the home found not compliant with the Virginia Maintenance Code 2021 Edition, Part III of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Conner-Webb said upon the completion of the inspection, the doorknob to her door fell in an inspector's hand leaving her locked out of the house and she had to call the fire department to help her in her home. She told 8News when she explained this to Bowman, Bowman had told her it was her fault. Brown said she contacted Bowman and let her know the home had been tagged and was met with this response: "Well, you'll be hearing from my lawyers as we don't know why these issues are all of a sudden happening when she [Conner-Webb] moved in." Conner-Webb said she has a backup plan -- a rental home that she can go to, however, she does not have the funding. 8News reached out to the Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority and was told the person who can assist in providing advice in this matter was not in on Wednesday.
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PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — In less than three months of being in her new home, a Petersburg woman is being forced to move out immediately after the City's property maintenance inspector tagged the home as "unfit for habitation."
The yellow tag along with a note from the inspector -- which was placed on Wednesday afternoon -- can be found in front of the multi-family home.
"This was the worst house they've ever seen. To be honest with you, that's exactly what they said," said Charlene Conner-Webb, a resident of one of the units.
Conner-Webb along with her patient care assistant Kimberly Brown gave 8News a walk-through of the condition of the unit.
The two showed 8News peeling on the walls, damaged parts of the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, mold under the lifting floors, as well as the bedroom and more.
Brown explained that the stove was not working properly as one night Conner-Webb was cooking and "a fireball spirited up and singed her hair and burnt her finger."
Brown said this was reported to the landlord, Diane Bowman, who said she would provide Conner-Webb with another stove -- but did not.
"It hasn't really worked since I moved in—it's got one large burner and then three small burners," Conner-Webb said. "The large burner, you could put it on high and it would be like cooking as slow as it could be [and] the one right next to it, you could put it on low and it would turn cherry-red in a heartbeat and burn everything."
In the bathroom, Brown pointed to the peeling ceiling over the bathtub and wiggled the toilet to show that it was not secure.
A sort of "dip'' could be felt standing on parts of the bathroom floor and the two explained what is under it.
"When the toilet leaks, the inspector said it's pushing back up sewage," said Connor-Webb and Brown.
When approaching the threshold leading into the kitchen, Cobber-Webb showed how it was not installed properly.
"Back in December she fell and she broke two ribs," Brown said.
"It's not even put down properly because you can take your whole finger underneath of it," Conner-Webb said.
Conner-Webb said upon conducting an initial walk-through with the landlord, she was told there were a few things that needed maintenance fixes.
8News asked Conner-Webb if she believed in that moment potentially moving into the home would be a bad choice.
"Not at first, no, because she comes across sweet as pie and very accommodating," Conner-Webb said.
8News spoke with Bowman who said she was not able to comment on the matter based on advice from her attorney.
Unbeknownst to 8News, Bowman's attorney was near her and when reporters asked for a comment from the attorney, they were told: "There are things you just don't know and there's a game being played."
When 8News asked the attorney to identify themselves by their name and clarify the comment, they told reporters they do not wish to be ''misquoted'' and cannot identify themselves or further clarify.
However, the attorney did note the matter will be taken to court.
In reading the inspection exterior housing report, foundation walls, stairways, decks, windows and door frames are just some parts of the home found not compliant with the Virginia Maintenance Code 2021 Edition, Part III of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
Conner-Webb said upon the completion of the inspection, the doorknob to her door fell in an inspector's hand leaving her locked out of the house and she had to call the fire department to help her in her home.
She told 8News when she explained this to Bowman, Bowman had told her it was her fault.
Brown said she contacted Bowman and let her know the home had been tagged and was met with this response:
"Well, you'll be hearing from my lawyers as we don't know why these issues are all of a sudden happening when she [Conner-Webb] moved in."
Conner-Webb said she has a backup plan -- a rental home that she can go to, however, she does not have the funding.
8News reached out to the Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority and was told the person who can assist in providing advice in this matter was not in on Wednesday.
