MIAMI – The list of problems is long at the Harry Cain Tower, a 35-year-old affordable housing building nestled right smack in the middle of bustling downtown Miami, near Miami Dade College.
Residents told Local 10 News there is mold throughout the building and water leaks from the A/C units and from the windows.
The county is telling residents they have to go elsewhere.
Residents have been given Section 8 vouchers so they can pick another place to live and are even being helped with moving costs.
"These folks are ready to get out of this building," Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins said.
Higgins, who represents the area, said the goal initially was to move everyone to a new building.
But that building won't be built for another three years.
In fact, an empty plot of land for it sits just north of the new post office in downtown Miami.
"You can't just repair one apartment at a time," Higgins said.
Higgins said there aren't many options left. The county either repairs the entire building, possibly guts it or maybe even tears it down.
"We probably needed to move to safer and more healthy housing sooner rather than later," she said.