The city of Fort Worth is cracking down on a motel that leaders say is among the top three worst code violators in the city.
The Knights Inn at Interstate 30 and Las Vegas Trail has had ongoing problems with serious code violations and crime dating back to at least 2008.
On Thursday, owner Anil Patidar and his wife were called down to city hall to address concerns about the condition of the rooms and about crime that's consistently reported at their property.
The city is targeting the whole Las Vegas Trail area, hoping business owners can turn to allies to clean up the west side community.
Amanda Cassidy checked in to the Knights Inn and by the end of the week could only say: "I can't wait to leave."
The motel has a decade-long history of code violations — from bed bugs to roaches and rodent droppings, stained mattresses, and broken windows and locks.
"The rooms are dirty. When you tell them something is broken, they don't come," Cassidy said.
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The motel is divided between extended-stay and short-term lodgings. Several rooms have signs posted right now saying they've been condemned for health code violations.
"They moved us to a room that the health department had shut down," Cassidy said. "There was a big sign in the window, so we went and complained, and they gave us a key to a wrong room. We found out that our key opened other doors, to other rooms."
NBC 5 caught up with Patidar and his wife leaving their meeting with the city Thursday morning. He would not answer any questions, but his wife told NBC 5 they did their best to run a clean and safe business.
"Yes, and we do work with code. We do work with compliance to help them to fix and address any issues there on the property," she said.
Maintenance crews were visible moving in and out of the condemned rooms on Thursday.
The city will be following up to make sure everything gets up to code. If not, the city attorney's office could file a lawsuit that could shut the place down for a year.
That sounds right to Cassidy, who thinks the owners are taking advantage of people with nowhere else to go.
"The price that they're asking is very, very cheap, so I think for a lot of people, they don't have another choice," Cassidy said.
Cassidy also said she's called police out to the motel twice this week once when she saw someone being assaulted in the parking lot.
Fort Worth police are working with the city to monitor the property, along with several others.
The city's taking a broad approach, including education, housing, economic development and public safety to improve life along Las Vegas Trail.
