TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Around 300 Florida A&M students will spend the next week living in hotels as Florida A&M University works to fumigate the Palmetto Phase III Dorm.
For Sapphire Williams and her friends having to relocate after just moving in a week ago is tough.
"Everything needs to be off our floors, everything needs to be off our beds, everything off our walls, everything has to go," said Williams.
For others like freshmen CJ Mitchell, the biggest challenge, having to depend on a shuttle to get back and forth to campus.
While only for a week she's expecting it to be a big inconvenience as she works to get to and from campus.
"We only get three unexcused absences for the year, and they're not excusing us if we miss class today," said Mitchell.
Dr. Jennifer Wilder, Associate Director of Student Housing says, this all started during move in week when one student noticed a cockroach at Palmetto Phase III.
Since then, there have been multiple complaints causing them to shut down the dorm as they work with pest control companies.
"In an ideal world, this is not what we would be doing," said Dr. Wilder. "But when you continue to get complaints about one particular issue, then you have to try and get to the next level."
This recent issue, coming on the heels of FAMU's on-campus housing shortage where around 700 students were left without on campus housing.
Now through continued efforts, FAMU says they are now down to around 300 students still searching for housing.
One of those helping out during the housing shortage AND the relocation process, Casa Bella Inn & Suites and Seven Hills Suites, owner Justin Ford says they always try to do what they can to help out local students.
"FAMU has been there for over a hundred years," said Ford. "FSU has been there a very long time. We like to build relationships and we've become a source for them over the long term."
