TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Since October, one Eastside couple expecting a baby has dealt with a faulty porch. The only way to get in and out of their home is through the porch because they live on the second floor.
As your Eastside reporter, they reached out to me for help. Let me walk you through how we got to this point.
"I mean it's one thing if one of us falls through, but having a brand-new baby, it's really scary," said Alisandra and Dylan Drago, the expecting couple.
When I first met Alisandra and Dylan on Wednesday, they were stressed about the situation.
"It's just, I felt like I've gotten to the point where it's like they obviously don't care. That's how it feels like they just don't care," said Dylan.
They say the porch started to worsen in October 2024.
"We've been trying to keep in contact with our leasing company and HOA, and all of them, and we were told that by January 7th of this year that they would start," said Alisandra. "Then when we went to get a place arranged for us to stay, they told us, well, that was just an estimated date."
The couple says after a while, someone went to cover one of the holes.
"That's when one of them came over with that bug plywood and screwed it into the rotting wood," Dylan said.
Alisandra says she nearly fell on her stomach because of the quick fix.
"I tripped on the piece of board covering one of the holes, which was just like a temporary fix for them," said Alisandra.
With not much time left before Alisandra's due date, they reached out to KGUN 9 on Monday.
"My dad contacted you guys and now it took them no time to get things started after that," Alisandra said.
I contacted the property management and HOA on Tuesday to find out why the porch hadn't been repaired and have yet to hear back. After reaching out to code enforcement on Wednesday afternoon, the porch was examined within hours. Inspections supervisor for code enforcement, Laurie Pumphrey, says the code enforcer found three softball-sized holes. The nails and railing were also deemed unsecured.
"Because of that, we did issue a 48-hour notice to which the owners are gonna comply and repair it," said Pumphrey.
Pumphrey says you can contact code enforcement for any related matters at (520) 791-5843 and they should respond within 30 days.
Alisandra tells me she feels like nobody took their safety seriously.
"I mean, it's an emergency and nobody took it that way, you know? Code enforcement didn't take it that way; the HOA didn't take it that way until we contacted you guys, and then that's when it became an emergency," Alisandra said.
Code enforcement cited property owners, management, and the HOA for repairs.
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, resources are here.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
