(WSVN) - He spent years fighting for his country. Now he says he’s fighting another battle against his landlord. 7’s Heather Walker investigates.
The past few years have been tough for veteran John Klindtworth.
Since becoming disabled while serving in the Navy, he has struggled to find good jobs.
John Klindtworth, renter: “I’ve been working just a ton of different jobs, and then, right after Thanksgiving, while I was recovering from a stroke, I got laid off from that job.”
Without steady work, money is tight, which is why he is still living in this Fort Lauderdale apartment where the roof is crumbling.
John Klindtworth: “This whole part of the roof just came crashing down, and you can see severe termite damage.”
Heather Walker: “Wow. I mean, this whole beam’s gone.”
John Klindtworth: “Yeah.”
Heather Walker: “And how long has it been like this?”
John Klindtworth: “Since October of 2022.”
We spotted holes in the roof on the other side of the building.
John said it has allowed all kinds of pests to move in.
John Klindtworth: “Termites, roaches, any number of pests to get in. The person who was in this apartment right here, number four, moved out because it got so bad. I finally decided, ‘That’s it.’ I called code enforcement. ‘This building is on the verge of being declared uninhabitable.'”
John thought the apartment would be safe because the South Florida VA helped him find it.
John Klindtworth: “I suffer from [post-traumatic stress disorder], and to constantly have to deal with this is just unnerving.”
John has repeatedly asked his landlord to repair the damage. But so far, he says, it’s only caused him more problems.
John Klindtworth: “And I’ve been labeled as a complainer and an agitator because I want something to get done, and I’ve gone all the way up the chain of command, to the state office of the agency that manages this building.”
Property records show the building is owned by Volunteers of America. It’s a nonprofit organization that provides affordable housing and support services for veterans, seniors and families.
John says his calls for help have gone unanswered.
John Klindtworth: “Every time I say, ‘Oh, there’s a maintenance emergency,’ this or that, they’ll say, ‘Well, we’ve got properties down in Miami that have emergencies that we have to deal with.’ Well, OK, is this missing half a roof not an emergency?”
We called Volunteers of America’s Florida office.
No one would go on camera, but 7 Investigates was told the process to replace the roof has taken a long time.
Plans were drawn up in May of 2023. The permit application was submitted late last month, and it’s still waiting for final approval.
And all that waiting has taken an incredible toll on John.
John Klindtworth: “But I have to stay here, because I have no other choice right now.”
And he hopes repairs will be made soon, because he just got a new job working from home.
Heather Walker, 7News.
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