Residents of the Delmar Apartment Complex in Tampa were stunned this week to find notices from the city taped to their doors, warning that water service could be shut off by May 21 due to non-payment.

According to the notice, the apartment’s water bill has gone unpaid for months, despite residents continuing to pay rent, which they say includes utilities.

“No one here feels secure—not about the condition of our homes or whether we’ll have basic necessities by the end of the day,” Lindsey Baudo, a tenant at Delmar, told WFLA.

Baudo described the complex as a decent place to live—until it was hit by hurricanes last year.

“Before the hurricane, it was manageable. Management wasn’t very responsive, but at least things were functioning,” she said. “After the storm, everything just fell apart.”

Other residents echoed similar frustrations.

“After the hurricanes, it’s like they abandoned us,” said Brooke Harp. “Half the community is condemned. Buildings are stripped, and nothing’s been repaired.”

Harp said her attempts to contact management have gone unanswered.

“There’s no one here managing the property. Trash isn’t collected, the grass is overgrown, and the dock has been broken since the storm,” she said. “We pay our rent, which is supposed to cover utilities, but they’re not paying the city.”

Calling the situation “frustrating” and “pretty evil,” Harp said tenants are left in the dark about their future.

WFLA reached out to the property’s management company and owners, Lurin Real Estate Holdings LVII LLC, but received no response.

In a statement, the City of Tampa said it is “deeply concerned” for residents at 4001 and 4003 S Westshore Boulevard, stressing that the situation is not the tenants’ fault.

“The City recognizes the stress this is causing and is working to prevent a utility shutoff where possible,” the statement read.

The city confirmed it has repeatedly attempted to contact the property owner and resolve the delinquent account over several months. While there are now “encouraging developments,” officials say the balance remains unpaid and the situation unresolved.

Residents are still unsure of what comes next.

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