Judge orders closure of troubled Crestmont Village apartments

Kevin Turner stands on what is left of his front door as neighbors Pernice Brown (left) and Chase Russell (center) talk outside the Turner's apartment Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, in Houston. Kevin's brother Jamarcus Turner said when they moved in the front door was off its hinges and management wouldn't repair it. "Now its on the ground and we have no way of securing our stuff" Jamarcus said about his situation at the Crestmont Apartments 5602 Selinsky Road. Mayor Parker held a news conference Thursday to announce the city is intervening to help the residents of the rundown Crestmont Apartments on Selinsky at Martin Luther King Drive. The tenants have been without power because the landlord has refused to pay the bill. This has created a public safety emergency for the residents. The City is arranging to get the power turned back on and has asked the Red Cross to help with food and water for the time being. The City is working to find new housing for the tenants. less Kevin Turner stands on what is left of his front door as neighbors Pernice Brown (left) and Chase Russell (center) talk outside the Turner's apartment Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, in Houston. Kevin's brother ... more Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 29 Caption Close Judge orders closure of troubled Crestmont Village apartments 1 / 29 Back to Gallery

At the urging of the city of Houston, a judge Thursday ordered the long-troubled Crestmont Village apartments closed by Oct. 30.

Lawyers for the city appeared before Judge Alexandra Smoots-Hogan, who presided over an emergency hearing to appoint a temporary receiver to the complex in September. No representatives for the owner of the property attended the hearing.

After the Oct. 30 deadline, the apartment's receiver will move to evict any remaining residents. Forty-five of about 100 unites in the development remain occupied, officials said.

Lawyers for the city called inspectors and the property's court-appointed receiver to talk about what they called "deteriorating conditions."

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Before the hearing, the receiver, Gerald Womack, urged current residents to take advantage of city services and other benefits that have been set up to help the remaining residents.

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"It's a process," he said. "There are services available."