At Town Park Plaza South in Overtown, residents say it now rains inside almost as much as it does outside. After years of complaining about water pouring through ceilings, soaking bedrooms and turning hallways into slip zones, the cooperative that runs the complex has taken its fight to court, filing a civil lawsuit that names both the general contractor and the roofing subcontractor.
The complaint claims 14 of the community’s 18 roofs fail nearly every time it rains, with leaks so persistent that some tenants have abandoned their beds altogether. Neighbors and longtime residents say they are desperate for a real fix before Miami’s wet season rolls in again.
What the complaint says
According to WSVN, the lawsuit alleges that “14 out of 18 roofs leak nearly every time it rains,” a claim backed up in the filing with photos and video that appear to show water streaming into buckets stationed inside apartments.
Retiree Jacqueline Wells told the station, “This is my home. Me and my plants,” explaining that recurring leaks have forced her to stop sleeping on her mattress because of repeated water damage. The co-op’s attorney, Kirk de Leon, said the water is “ponding on the roofs,” which he argues has created unsafe living conditions for the people who call Town Park Plaza South home.
Rehab money and a long renovation
Per the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, the CRA approved a multimillion-dollar grant to overhaul Town Park Plaza South and identified H.A. Contracting as the firm in charge of the multi-building rehabilitation. SEOPW CRA and other local reporting note that the multi-phase rehab dragged on for years and ran into cost overruns and delays.
Coverage from Patch details how residents were relocated while the work was underway and confirms that roof replacement was part of the promised upgrades for the complex.
Contractors push back
In a statement to WSVN, an attorney for H.A. Contracting said the roofing portion of the job “was performed by a licensed contractor in accordance with plans approved by project stakeholders and inspected by the appropriate authorities,” adding that the company “disagrees with the allegations” in the lawsuit.
WSVN reports that the roofing subcontractor, A-1 Duran Roofing Inc., did not respond to requests for an interview. State business records list A-1 Duran Roofing, Inc. as a Florida corporation with its principal address in Miami, offering a public paper trail for the subcontractor named in the suit.
What residents want and what’s next
The cooperative’s filing asks the court to order repairs and award money for damage residents say has been building with every storm. Tenants insist the goal is simple: roofs that keep water on the outside of their homes, not dripping into bedrooms and living rooms.
Because the work at Town Park Plaza South was funded through CRA grants, the case could also prompt tougher questions about how the public rehabilitation was managed and how contractors ended up with the job. The lawsuit remains active, and residents say they are watching the process closely as Miami’s rainy summer draws closer.
