KALAMAZOO TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Residents at Wildwood Off Main in Kalamazoo Township are facing sudden displacement after condemned notices appeared on more than 275 apartments in early May.
Tenants received an email Wednesday saying upper-floor residents needed to leave immediately due to unsafe stairs and decks.
Mary Grace Libby turned in her keys at the complex Wednesday. She showed me the email she and other tenants received from the complex, stating that people on the upper floors needed to leave because the stairs and decks are not safe.
Corey Curtis is also one of those upper-floor residents.
Watch: Wildwood Off Main residents told to leave upper-floor units after condemned notices on 275+ apartments
"We actually received an email, that we have to leave the premises," Curtis said.
Curtis said leaving is not that simple.
"All the way from my safe, to my clothes, to my hygiene. To my work clothes. Our livelihood is in the apartment. And based on the email we received, grab the items that pertain to your livelihood, and take them with you," Curtis said.
Curtis said he has loaded as much of his belongings as he can into his car, but has not been able to secure alternative housing yet.
I asked him what he was going to do.
"I don't know. I have no idea. Tammy and I are trying to put our heads together to see what we can do. The apartment complex did offer to put us up in a hotel, but that's only for five days," Curtis replied.
Curtis said he is setting his rent money aside in a separate account and will not pay June rent. He's still working to find a new place to stay, telling me everything from finding a place, to application fees, to background checks — and the expense of moving — make it difficult to do so suddenly.
"We're going to be homeless. Unless we find a place to live. And I never in my life time thought that I would be homeless," Curtis said.
Complex management did not respond to an email request for comment. No one at the leasing office agreed to speak.
The Kalamazoo Township supervisor said the township and its police department will not play a role in removing residents from their units, and encouraged anyone who needs help finding resources to reach out.
"As township government, we do have limited authority. We're not KABA. We're not the building authority. So we have no authority to act on those building codes. But we are here, and we exist to serve every resident of this township, whether they are a renter or a homeowner," the supervisor said.
The Kalamazoo Area Building Authority was not available to comment Thursday.
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