RACINE, Wis. — It's been an absolute nightmare for one Racine mother.
"I just walked in and I was like 'oh my god, I can't believe this'," Johnicia Etinne said.
"I feel like I'm not getting the help that I need. At least for my kids. But I'm not staying here, I'm not coming back even if they do fix it," Etinne said.
City of Racine Division of Neighborhood Enhancement documents show the property has been cited for several code violations. The violations include the large hole in the kitchen ceiling, missing hardware in the shower for proper functionality, improper lighting in the kitchen, and dampness in the bedroom and kitchen.
The citation requires the landlord and owner to fix the issues by Monday, February 16.
On Thursday, Etinne called TMJ4's Jenna Rae, because another portion of her ceiling has now caved in. This time, in her bedroom.
"I knew it was gonna fall in, so I don't know why I was so shocked, but it's still shocking to see," Etinne added.
Etinne's bedroom is covered in moldy debris and soaking wet insulation. You can see mold growing inside the sopping wet ceiling.
As we previously reported, Etinne's been reporting her leaking ceiling, since at least 2023, to her landlord, Smart Asset Realty.
"When maintenance comes, they usually come look at it. The guy painted over the black mold, and that was it, that's his quick fix," she explained.
City of Racine property records and inspection records list the building's owner as Shore Island Holdings, LLC. Etinne's building is even listed on Shore Island's website, along with a phone number for someone who works there. We called that number several times and left several voicemails, but never heard back.
We also called and emailed the registered agent of Shore Island Holdings, LLC, which is public record in the state of Wisconsin. An assistant for the registered agent told me Shore Island is "only investors in the company, and a real estate management company is who handles the day-to-day management of the property."
That company is Smart Asset Realty. A representative told me Wednesday that they were working to find Etinne another place to live.
"They did offer a place, but then I went there, and it was terrible. It was filthy. There was a mouse on the porch," Etinne explained.
"A dead mouse?" Rae asked.
"Yeah, a dead mouse in a cooler," Etinne responded.
Etinne is now trying to find another option outside of Smart Asset.
Late Thursday night, a spokesperson for the city of Racine's Neighborhood Enhancement Division sent us the following statement:
“I have just spoken with Smart Assets (the property management), and they have indicated that the owner will not be making the necessary repairs. Because the owner has refused to comply with the standing orders to repair, the Neighborhood Enhancement Division is now moving forward with formal citations. As previously noted, it is the legal responsibility of property management and the owner to provide habitable living arrangements. If they are unable or unwilling to maintain a safe environment, we will continue to use all available enforcement tools to hold them accountable.”
We will continue following up on this.
If you'd like to contribute to Etinne and her family during this time, please click here.
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