ST. LOUIS – The St Louis Health Department does an about-face after a recent You Paid For It report on the plight of a north St Louis tenant living in a HUD Apartment, costing taxpayers $1,500 per month.

In their previous inspection the health department said there was no insect infestation in Torreese Valentine’s apartment. She asked them to come back out at night and check, and the inspector did just that.

Elliott Davis talked to Justen Hauser from the Health Department. He says this was an after-hours inspection it was through coordination with the tenant.

“That is the time that she had identified that the pests were most active, that the second inspection did reveal sufficient evident to document and then move forward with citing the property owner,” said Hauser.

Torreese Valentine had this to say, “And I’m right again. I feel like you all told me it was an investigation, but yet I’m still her sleeping with the bugs.”

The Health Department has cited the apartment owner and given them 14 days to correct the problem.

Hauser, the Chief of the Environmental Health Bureau, says: ”The city ordinance allows 14 days to begin compliance with the ordinance, and that’s the process that we’re in right now, so you cited the property owner.”

Elliott Davis asked about the tenant who still has to stay there with the bugs. Hauser answered, “The department of health has limited jurisdiction when it comes to tenant landlord relations.” It means that the St Louis Health Department can’t force the landlord to move Torreese and her four children until the problem is taken care of.

Elliott asked, “What are you advising the property owner to do. Should the property owner relocate her?”

”That’s not a recommendation that the department of health can make,” said Hauser.

”So she could very well be stuck in there for 14 days with these insects?,” asked Elliott. “Yes,” said Hauser.

It’s frustrating for Torreese and her family. “I’m just literally playing a waiting game right now. Still sleeping with the budgets every night,” she said.

All is not lost. Torreese is getting some help from the office of us congresswoman Cori Bush, who has put pressure on HUD and the landlord to move her.

Also, the health department says it’s now in talks with other agencies to perhaps do to a some sort of sweep for problems in the other units surrounding Torreese. So far, no firm decision made.