Garian Henry recently lived in Clara Point for about a month.
“I used to live there years ago, and the maintenance was kept up. It was wonderful, so I called myself doubling back,” Henry said.
Joe Mullins purchased the former Applecross apartments in 2015 and renamed it Clara Point, for his daughter.
But the former state House candidate’s promises to renovate the Columbia County complex never materialized.
“They were horrible. People didn’t care anything about anything,” said Henry, who now lives in a newly-remodeled Augusta complex. “I even called code inspection to come out, because those were dangerous conditions.”
Mullins, who moved to Florida and served a term as Flagler County Commission chairman, responded by trying to evict her, but a judge threw the case out, Henry said.
Columbia County Codes Enforcement conducted a thorough inspection last summer and condemned part of the complex. But that wasn’t the end of Mullins’ troubles at Clara Point.
Last year, he took out a $5.95 million loan on the 56-unit complex.
Since July, he hasn’t made any payments, according to lender Wilmington Trust.
Then, in December, 30 or more units sustained significant water damage from frozen pipes, a court filing states.
Lender finds Mullins in default
Wilmington in February declared Mullins in default for nonpayment and for failing to properly maintain the complex.
Citing the codes enforcement report, Wilmington is asking the court to appoint a receiver, to take over management and oversee desperately-needed repairs.
The complex “appears to be in complete disrepair,” the filing stated.
“There is a significant risk that the owner/operator Joseph ‘Joe’ Mullins is misappropriating funds from the premises for other properties that he owns independent of the premises,” it said.
If Mullins is investing the money in other properties, it’s unlikely his south Augusta complex, Baywood.
Henry said she’s helping a tenant there move out.
“The water won’t turn off,” she said. “I don’t know why they continue to allow him to have businesses here.”
Mullins did not return a message seeking comment. But his troubles extend beyond real estate.
An Arizona company has sued Mullins for $2.5 million. Masters Tournament badges he supplied Golf Travel LLC got patrons ejected at the gate.
Mullins appealed his 2022 tax assessment of Clara Pointe. The Columbia County Board of Equalization reduced its assessed value from $1.6 million to $1 million.
Mullins recently offered the property for sale at 5.8 million.
Wilmington has declared the sum of $6.7 million, with penalties and interest, immediately due.
Columbia County Superior Court Judge Sheryl Jolly granted Wilmington’s motion for an expedited hearing on the receiver request March 13. A scheduled Wednesday hearing was called off.
