NEW ORLEANS — When a family called our WWL Louisiana newsroom for help, they never dreamed the video we shot inside of a bat-infested apartment, would touch such a nerve with our viewers.
It also got the attention of the city.
After our exclusive story Tuesday, the city took action Wednesday morning.
David Glapion poured his heart out to us on Tuesday about the bat infestation in his New Orleans East apartment, and the moment one charged at him.
“And I said, ‘Get away! Go ahead! Get back. Get back.’ And he was coming at me, flying at me, and I said, ‘Get back,’” said David Glapion, as he swatted the air with his hands, demonstrating how he protected himself.
The disabled 61-year-old said his belongings at The Willows complex, were covered in bat guano, and he didn't know what he'd do without his sister taking him in her home.
“I'm glad that God gave me a sister. I'm so grateful,” said David Glapion as he sobbed.
The president of the New Orleans City Council was watching, and on Wednesday morning had a team of code enforcement, health officials, and pest control investigators on site.
“I went upstairs to this particular unit with the lead rodent control person", said Councilwoman Helena Moreno. "And he was absolutely shocked by what he saw. I was shocked by what I saw,” she said.
Bats come out at night, but they did grab a dead Mexican free-tailed bat. As our cameras have documented before, this is not the first time there have been problems at the complex, off of Crowder Blvd.
“I am so sick and tired of dealing with the problems at this complex," Moreno said. "In my opinion, it's abuse. And I got in touch with the district attorney this morning, and I'm like ‘Enough's enough. Let's figure out on how we criminally go after the landlords here.’”
The Willows' manager says they take health hazards seriously, a private pest company is working on it, and they plan to let residents know about CDC guidelines on getting protective rabies shots, that they will pay for. And, he said they opened another apartment for David.
“All of his things have been moved that he needed," said Candren Lemieux, The Willows property manager. "He only had one personal, which was his Social Security card and ID, and he was able to get that out the room on yesterday,” Lemieux said.
We asked, “What about his bed and his furniture and his chairs and his sofas?”
“From my understanding from her, from him (David) that he didn't need, want the bed. He was going to get a new bed,” said Lemieux.
We asked, “Were y'all willing to pay to clean everything?”
Lemieux responded, “Yes.”
“No ma'am," David’s sister Karen Glapion said. "I had to pay someone to move the little stuff that he had in there, but all his major furniture is still in the other apartment,” she said.
She is grateful that things are in motion for David and his neighbors.
“It's just horrible and it's an injustice {SIC} that they doing to David and we just trying to rectify this,” said Karen Glapion.
Councilwoman Moreno says the owner of the complex is a minister who lives out of town and owns other properties that have also been investigated for violations.
We asked the owner twice for a comment but were told the manager's interview would be the only comments.
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