NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It’s been a week since Myliya Howard opened the door to her Cumberland Crossing apartment, showing NewsChannel 5's Aaron Cantrell the damage left behind after pipes burst during last week’s winter storm.
Nearly everything inside was ruined.
At the time, the apartment complex told NewsChannel 5 they did not have enough vacant units to relocate displaced residents and that nearby hotels were full.
Now, more tenants are coming forward and said they’re still waiting for answers.
Janae Boyd and her 3-year-old daughter have been staying with family since the storm, caught in what she describes as a holding pattern.
“I’m grateful to have my mom, but a lot of people don’t,” Boyd said.
Boyd said she left her Cumberland Crossing apartment after the power went out during the storm. While she was away, pipes burst inside her unit, damaging most of her belongings.
“We got furniture in there that may not be good no more, clothes that have to be thrown away — beds thrown away because it’s been sitting in a wet apartment,” Boyd said.
During NewsChannel 5's Aaron's interview with Boyd, she received a call notifying her that power had been restored. However, she said answers about temporary housing or hotel placement remain unclear.
“I have to wait until they start working on the unit to be placed in a hotel,” Boyd said during the phone call. “We’re just waiting to get word from corporate.”
That’s something 69-year-old Dianne Noles said she’s heard as well.
Noles said she paid for multiple nights at a hotel out of pocket and later sought reimbursement. She told NewsChannel 5's Aaron that on-site employees said they’ve been struggling to reach the complex’s new corporate owner, Related Affordable Housing.
“How can they tell you no — that they won’t reimburse you — if you don’t even have a number to reach corporate?” Noles said.
Boyd said she hopes repairs begin soon and that damaged apartments are gutted to prevent mold, so she and her daughter can return home safely.
“Think about us,” Boyd said. “Think about how we were living before this water damage and everything that came with it.”
Noles said the lack of communication has been especially painful.
“When all you can do is sit and cry because you can’t do anything — I’m not able to get out and work anymore, and I don’t like being helpless,” she said. “I’ve never had to depend on anybody in my life. This isn’t the way I want to end my damn life.”
NewsChannel 5's Aaron Cantrell returned to Cumberland Crossing and went to the leasing office to ask what plans are in place for tenants dealing with water damage. Employees said they had no comment and that Aaron's contact information would be passed along to corporate leaders.
This story was reported by Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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