I am a tenant of Villa Capri I, managed by GMC Property Management along with 7 other Properties in Arlington -- most of which are either unlisted with the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (www.myfloridalicense.com) or listed with expired licenses: Sweetbriar Apartments (listed with the DBPR under two different addresses and with separate expired licenses), Forest Park Apartments, Villa Capri II, and also Georgetown & Greenbriar Apartments (the latter 2 both unlisted with the Florida DBPR; meaning that they were last listed with the DBPR so long ago that there is no electronic record of it, whereas the previous 3 have not been listed with current licenses for 10 years now); the license for Villa Capri I is current, but with several citations -- as is the case for Monterey Manor (also listed with the DBPR under 2 separate addresses & licenses) & Colony Apartments. GMC's unsatisfactory record with the BBB can be inspected here: www.jacksonville.bbb.org/commonreport.html'compid=12409. While it is true that slumlords perform an invaluable service to low-income families by providing affordable housing which otherwise might not be available, it is important to recognize that because Villa Capri I & II are every bit the "garden spot" of the slum in which they reside does not mean that GMC is something other than a slumlord -- notwithstanding GMC having its own website (www.gmcpropertymanagement.com). Specifically, GMC engages in fraudulent leasing practices that revolve around the seemingly generous "move-in specials" (or "concessions") it uses to lure new tenants, which are then promptly rescinded through an "early move-out" clause in the lease, once GMC determines that tenants are not willing to be subjected to the incessant harassment which the COJ requires of it (since most of GMC's Jax Properties are too rundown for anyone but low-income minorities to want to live in and sit directly across the street from Jacksonville University). This "early move-out" clause -- which requires tenants who vacate prematurely (regardless of the reasons or circumstances) to pay whatever rent was due under the remainder of the lease until the apartment is rented out again and also to repay any move-in "concessions" -- basically gives GMC license to manufacture evidence with which to evict tenants any time it wishes, and without having to be concerned about any adverse legal or financial repercussions. Depending on the methods GMC uses to manufacture this evidence, it will sometimes attach a Liability Insurance Addendum to the renewed leases of any tenants naive or desperate enough to re-sign, so that it can be covered for any damage caused to the apartment or to tenants' property by those methods. All of this stems from the fact that the COJ can no longer legally force low-income minorities out of an area once they settle in through its usual method of raising the rent throughout the area -- as this "gentrification" violates Article 8 of the Fair Housing Act when it disproportionately displaces protected groups -- so the COJ is left with no viable alternative but to use the only other method known to the Deep South for dealing with low-income minorities whenever they gather together in large numbers: Employing hard-core, redneck thugs like GMC to "crack the whip" sufficiently enough that the neighborhood does not deteriorate to the point where it affects Jacksonville University. After GMC has either harassed tenants into leaving prematurely or evicted them, it is then free to start the whole process all over again by luring replacement tenants with an irresistible "move-in special" -- say, the first 2 months rent off (there is a big sign on the front lawn of Villa Capri I right now that reads simply "FREE RENT") -- based on the expectation of continuing to obtain rent from the former occupants, since they have no way to verify when GMC was able to obtain replacement tenants. It is imperative, therefore, to seek legal help or to at least file a complaint with Consumer Affairs at the State level (the COJ no longer handles Landlord-Tenant issues, since it is essentially forced to investigate its own misconduct in situations such as this) the very first time GMC accuses you of doing something you know you have not done, at www.800helpfla.com or by calling (800) 435-7352; they are only authorized to mediate -- much like the BBB -- but at least you will have a record of your version of things documented with a local authority. Another good tactic is to notify Municipal Code Enforcement at www.coj.net rather than GMC itself when repair issues arise -- in the event that GMC does start fabricating evidence against you (as it is required to do by the COJ when confronted with low-income minority tenants who are deemed unsuitable for long-term tenancy for any reason) -- so that you will have an official record of repair issues with a third party. Also, check the brochures located at Three Rivers Legal Services (www.trls.org/housing.htm) and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (www.jaxlegalaid.org/v2/pamphlets.html) for advice on ways to deal with negligent & abusive landlords. Since GMC's intent in manufacturing evidence with which to evict tenants or harass them into leaving prematurely is basically to make a few extra thousand dollars off of tenants who they know will not be staying for whatever the reason, they are not going to hire an attorney in order to do it, so you will be in very good shape seeking assistance from TRLS & JALA in general.

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