St. Pete Apartment Tenants Face Water Shutoff After Owner Misses Bill

Residents of St. Petersburg Apartment Buildings Face Uncertain Future

Hundreds of tenants living in two St. Petersburg apartment buildings are facing a growing sense of uncertainty as they are warned that their water service could be cut off soon. The situation has sparked frustration among residents, who say the issue is just one of many problems they’ve encountered while living in the buildings. Some have already decided it’s time to move out.

The city of St. Petersburg has issued a notice to Lurin Real Estate Holdings, the property owner of Elements on Third and The Morgan, stating that if the company does not pay its overdue utility bills, water service will be disconnected on August 21. This warning has left many residents feeling helpless and concerned about their future.

Sabrina Nguyen, a tenant at Elements on Third, is one of those who has decided to terminate her lease early and move out this Friday. She expressed her frustration with the situation, saying, “It’s not fair to us or any of the tenants that pay, you know, this amount for what we’re supposed to be getting and we’re not.” For Nguyen, the decision to leave came after she became aware of the ongoing issues with the building.

Residents of both buildings have received notices from the city regarding the potential water shutoff. Officials have been working for months to get Lurin Real Estate Holdings to settle its outstanding utility bills. While the company has made some partial payments, the balance remains unpaid, leaving the situation unresolved.

A spokesperson for the city of St. Petersburg released a statement emphasizing the city’s efforts to ensure that residents do not face an interruption in essential services. They said, “The City understands residents at these properties are experiencing stress and concern regarding this situation and we are working diligently to ensure there is not an interruption in services for residents. For months, the City has worked with property management to resolve these outstanding balances and will remain in active communication with property management until the balances are paid.”

Tenants like Nicholas Mangieri describe the situation as “very frustrating.” He mentioned receiving an email stating that the issue was resolved, but he questioned the accuracy of the message. “They just love sending automated emails refuting all these things, but clearly that’s just not true,” he said.

Water isn’t the only concern for residents. At Elements on Third, tenants are required to pay $80 per month for community internet, which may also be shut off if Lurin doesn’t pay the provider. Mangieri, who works remotely, explained the impact of this issue: “I work fully remote so I can’t be on a client call and say, ‘Oh sorry, I have to run to Starbucks.’ I’m going to have to pay for two internets until this is resolved.”

This is not the first time Lurin Real Estate Holdings has faced scrutiny. In May, water was nearly shut off at another Lurin-owned complex in Tampa before a last-minute payment was made. Despite this history, the company continues to face legal challenges. Court records show 10 open cases against Lurin in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, including issues related to bounced checks and unpaid contractors. The company owns more than 10,000 units nationwide, including 12 properties in Florida.

Efforts to reach Lurin Real Estate Holdings for comment have not yet yielded a response. Meanwhile, the city of St. Petersburg plans to provide an update on Lurin’s payment status this Friday. Officials are continuing to work to ensure that residents do not lose access to essential services.

For now, tenants remain in limbo, uncertain about their future and the stability of their living conditions. As the deadline for potential water shutoffs approaches, many are considering their next steps and whether they can continue to live in these buildings under such uncertain circumstances.