A Bridge City man has had a sinking feeling about the floor in his bedroom for the past several months.
"I could feel that it's cracking," recalled James Smith.
But, it wasn't the rate of gravity changing in Smith's apartment unit at Cypress Cove that caused his floor to sink.
"You can see it crack up over here too," Smith said as he pointed to the crumbling floor.
Just Monday when Smith woke up to get ready, he tripped over a speaker.
"I'm assuming I must have used a little too much weight when I lifted at the same time, when I went to lift it wound up crushing into, I caught myself on the wall," he said.
His foot, however, had sunk into the carpet, into a hole caused by crumbling slab underneath. Smith explained, the fall injured his ankle. That's why he is now wearing a brace, and using crutches. But it could have been someone else.
"I have a three-year-old daughter, she's very active honestly," he said.
Fortunately, he said she was not around when the floor collapsed. Thinking back, he recalled the floor had been sinking for some time, and notified management when he renewed his lease in July.
"I feel as though you need to sit here, and put the money that we give y'all, into what y'all saying it's supposed to be going to," Smith said.
Management at the complex didn't go on camera but told Eyewitness News they are aware of the problem and are working to find a solution.
Smith also told Eyewitness News, his apartment unit has leaky windows, and neighbors have had other complaints. However, he wonders, how many others may be living with the same problem, and not realize it.
"I know for a fact that every company has to meet a certain criteria, I know that so at the same time this is supposed to be part of their criteria," Smith said.
For now, Smith is left worried about sleeping in his own bed at night, hoping the crack in the floor doesn't get worse.
Assertive Management Group is the company that runs the apartment complex. It has more than 1000 units in Louisiana and Texas. Eyewitness News also reached out to the regional community director, but have yet to hear back.
Jacqueline Quynh can be reached at jquynh@wwltv.com.