INDIANAPOLIS — Attorney General Todd Rokita is acting to protect residents of a northeast-side apartment complex by suing the owners over “horrendous” sewer conditions.
WRTV first visited Hubbard Gardens Apartments in Sept. where residents told us they had been living with raw sewage coming out of their sinks for over a month.
Lauretha Fuller said raw sewage makes it so her daughter and 3-year-old grandson cannot sleep in their apartment.
"We've come in and there has been toilet paper and fecal matter all over her floor, grease, food in the sink she didn't put in there and he can't come in here. There is nowhere he can play with it in this condition," she said.
The complex was first put on the state’s radar on Sept. 26, 2024, when Rokita’s office visited Hubbard Gardens. The following statement was released after the visit:
Our office went to Hubbard Gardens apartments to speak with residents and better understand the situation they are dealing with. What we found was dire living conditions, which included issues like sinks being flooded with sewage. We are discussing next steps that we can take on this matter and encourage all Hoosiers dealing with something like this to file a complaint with our office at indianaconsumer.com.
On Wednesday, Rokita announced the lawsuit and said during the visit, his investigators found open sewer conditions, which were reported to the EPA’s National Response Center.
“Hardworking Hoosiers don’t deserve to live in these types of conditions and are being treated horribly by the owner of this complex,” Rokita said. “Our office will continue standing up for tenants’ rights and working to hold this bad actor accountable.”
The lawsuit alleges that Hubbard Gardens Apartments has at least 89 citations from the Marion County Public Health Department from Jan. 1, 2023, to Oct. 4, 2024, including:
- Failure to ensure basic occupancy standards due to severe plumbing issues
- Flooding of tenants' apartments and common areas with raw sewage
WATCH | Hubbard Gardens residents speak about the dire living conditions
WRTV’s investigation is mentioned in the lawsuit. It calls for a jury trial.
To read the full lawsuit, click here.
