Open doors, trashed apartments and people who appeared to be living there without leases are what greeted reporters at a troubled Westside Jacksonville complex that is tangled up in foreclosure. Newly installed, court-authorized managers say they walked into a property riddled with long-ignored repairs and unauthorized occupants, while residents described a tense, gang-like presence that thinned out as soon as cameras showed up. All of this is unfolding as the complex, which sold in 2021 for just over $1.1 million, moves through a court process that could end in a sale.
What reporters saw at the property
Inside the buildings, reporters documented apartments piled high with trash, utility closets jammed with tires and clothing, air-conditioning units that appeared to be idle and rooms where fixtures had been stripped away. Several people who did not appear to be tenants were seen moving in and out of empty units, then heading off and warning others once news crews arrived, according to News4JAX.
Ownership and foreclosure status
Duval County property appraiser records list JJTA10 Real Properties LLC as the owner of the complex and show it sold in April 2021 for $1,132,800, according to the Duval County Property Appraiser. In the foreclosure case, court filings and public notices identify Wilmington Trust as the plaintiff and set an online sale for July 13, 2026, per NoticeRegistry. Clerk of courts legal notices outline the sale date as well as orders rescheduling it.
New managers describe the mess
A spokesperson for Elon Management, which says it was appointed as court-authorized management for a receiver overseeing this complex and nine other properties, told reporters the company found “significant deferred maintenance,” unsafe conditions and unauthorized occupancy when it took over. People's Choice, the firm tied to several JJTA entities in state business records, told reporters it “no longer manages 5537 Firestone Road as of the first week of April.” Elon Management says it is working to secure vacant apartments and start repairs so occupied units are habitable, according to News4JAX.
What the law allows
Under Florida law and local procedures, property owners or their authorized agents can ask the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to remove unauthorized occupants, and the sheriff's office provides a form and guidance for owners and receivers who seek that help. When a receiver and court orders are involved, removals and trespass enforcement typically happen only after the proper filings are made and law enforcement is formally brought into the case. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office details the documentation that owners or agents must present before officers will carry out a removal, per the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Part of a wider Westside pattern
Local reporting indicates this complex is not an outlier. Other Westside properties have reported vacant units taken over by unauthorized occupants along with long lists of code-enforcement violations. Coverage in Squatters Take Over Cedar Hills and reporting from Action News Jax have documented similar problems. Broader reporting has tied this pattern to investor purchases and relatively weak tenant protections in Florida, per ClickOrlando.
Managers say they hope the court process and receivership will help them lock down empty units and give remaining residents a real reset, while tenants and neighbors say they plan to keep pressing the city and the sheriff's office for faster work on locks, repairs and basic safety. This story will be updated if the clerk's office posts a final sale result or a transfer of title.
