After Inspections, Dozens Of Residents Told To Leave Apartments

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After Inspections, Dozens Of Residents Told To Leave Apartments

10TV - Columbus,OH*

Thursday, August 28, 2008

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/08/28/story_apart

ments.html?sid=102

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dozens of tenants were told to evacuate their homes

Thursday after deplorable and unsafe conditions were uncovered at

their Madison Township apartment complex.

" In terms of the general condition of the building, " said

Wenning with the lin County Board of Health, " it's one of the

worst. "

Wenning was referring to apartments at Walnut Knolls, located on Noe-

Bixby Road, 10TV's Glenn McEntyre reported.

SLIDESHOW: Images From Report

According to the Board of Health and the fire marshal, the building

is not safe for occupancy. A recent inspection prompted authorities

to issue notice to residents, telling them they have 30 days to find

new places to live.

le Lajoie lives at the complex with her two young sons. She

said she has stayed in her apartment because it was affordable,

despite numerous and repeated problems.

" There was patch of mold right here, " Lajoie said, while pointing to

a corner in her apartment. " It was so bad the ceiling was falling

down. "

Wenning said problems in the building were much worse than residents

knew.

" (There was) huge amounts of mold in them, " Wenning said. " There was

hundreds of square feet, thousands of square feet (of mold) in some

units. "

Lajoie said there was also the problem of sewage.

" We also had sewage running down through the wall that separated the

apartment from the corridor, " Lajoie said. " It was pooling out in

the hallway. "

In addition to complaints of mold and sewage, inspectors also found

scores of fire code violations. In the words of the fire marshal,

the conditions placed occupants in " imminent danger " and a " fire,

once ignited, will spread quickly throughout the building, " McEntyre

reported.

The fire marshal concluded that the violations could " reasonably be

expected to cause death of serious harm. "

Wenning said the owners of the complex have known about these

conditions, and have had ample time to address them.

" They've had many years, " he said.

One of the property owners, Rhodehamel, did not address

questions posed by 10TV on Thursday, but his attorney addressed the

complaints against ownership.

" My client would not agree with the allegations in this complaint, "

said attorney Dimitri Hatzifotinos.

When asked if his client was comfortable with the conditions his

tenants are living in now, Hatzifotinos said, " That's not a question

I've asked my client. "

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.

[Guest guest]

Many of these people wont be able to find other places to live or stay

thanks to the irresponsibility of their landlord.

This is a good example of the ugly situation that renters face in

these situations.

There should be a requirement that the irresponsible landlord put them

up in a safe,

clean hotel so that families will not become homeless or be broken up

and so people can keep their jobs instead of be foreced to move,

sometimes hundreds of miles away.

In cities, many people do not own cars of have money saved. How will

they find new places to live on such short notice?

How will they keep their jobs and pensions?