Residents frustrated after being forced out of Merrillville apartment complex due to mold, structural issues
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (CBS) -- Dozens of people in Northwest Indiana were recently left without a place to live - with little notice.
Structural and safety concerns forced residents out of four buildings. All the properties are owned by one company in Merrillville.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot spoke to tenants, who are frustrated - and are still paying June rent.
The Lake County, Indiana Health Department had condemned three buildings in the Hickory Ridge Lake Apartments complex in Merrillville. They put signs up reading, "unfit for human habitation."
"It's everywhere – in every one, almost!" said Sharita Strong.
Strong was talking about the mold in the building where she lives. She said it was the reason she and other tenants were asked to move out of their units here at the Hickory Ridge complex.
Strong shared photos with us depicting the conditions. She said in the unit directly below the one where she lives, there was mold on the ceiling and walls.
Strong also showed us pictures she said displayed her kitchen counter - where she says there has been a constant mold problem, along with the area under her sink.
"It's the one next to my apartment, which is leaking into my apartment," Strong said. "I didn't know because I hadn't gone inside - but it's come from the inside of the other apartment into my apartment."
Le Mignot: "So management was totally unresponsive whenever you would ask about the situation with the mold, or to be moved out?"
Strong: "Yes. Unresponsive. They didn't have any answers. They told me no, couldn't do anything about it. They couldn't give me my deposit back. They couldn't give me anything to help me."
Strong and other tenants who have Lake County Health Department stickers on the front door of their buildings have until Thursday, June 22, to move out - after paying their June rent.
"I feel they're obligated - the owners - are obligated to reimburse me for some of the money so that I have somewhere to live," said Minnie tenant Nero-Sabati.
Nero-Sabati said she does not know where she is going to go.
"Right now, I'm just putting things in storage; getting my belongings - my furniture my clothes, my valuables - and it's just heartbreaking," she said.
On Wednesday of last week, about 40 people were evacuated from a fourth building in the complex. The side of that fourth building was visibly buckling, and an inspector found the structural integrity of the building had been compromised.
Mold was also found in that fourth building and the one next door, now also ordered by the Lake County Health Department to be "unfit for human habitation."
People we spoke with that live in one of the condemned buildings, say they called management numerous times, about the growing mold problem, but they never got help."
Le Mignot decided to see if we could get some answers from management about the situation and went to the management office. Management cracked the door open and quickly closed it again.
Le Mignot also spoke with a man off camera who said he has a contract to buy the property. He wants to bring the complex back – an effort that includes cleaning out the pond, creating a waterfall, and landscaping.
The current owners haven't cut the grass at the complex in more than a month.
"It would be a really nice place if they kept it up and they did what they were supposed to do. It wouldn't be a bad place, you know?" said Strong. "I could see potential in this place."
The man who said he has a contract on this entire complex also told Le Mignot that his goal is to rehab 70 percent of the apartments and redo all of the hallways.
We reached out to building management, who will not comment. We have not heard back from the Lake County, Indiana Health Department.
