(La Porte, IN) - Moving can be quite a chore and sad especially when facing eviction by Christmas Eve.  That’s what 20 or more of the remaining tenants at Monroe Street Apartments in downtown La Porte are facing.                                                                                         

 

The close to 50 unit three story apartment building is being condemned by the city after citing the owner, Kevin Yang, for code violations like major cock roach infestation, hazardous electrical wiring, broken plumbing lines taped together and badly leaking roof.       

 

Longstanding problems with drugs, fighting and other misbehavior at the low income housing unit also factored into the decision.  “Just in the last 60 days, we have had 80 police calls for service there.  This is something that has been coming for a lot of years,” said La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody.

 

Some people, like next door neighbor David Perkins, 55, feels the eviction deadline should be extended until after Christmas.  “Have a heart.  It’s sad,” he said.  However, the city is standing firm after giving a six month notice to allow Yang an opportunity to come into compliance and residents plenty of time, if necessary, to find new housing.

 

Code Enforcement Director Jeff Batchelor said there’s been some work done but it only scratches the surface of what’s needed to make the building safe and living conditions suitable again.  “It was all superficial,” he said.

 

For the past several months, Dermody said the city has partnered with several agencies like the Center Township Trustee’s Office, United Way of La Porte County and Healthcare Foundation of La Porte to help residents as much as possible find new housing.  Financial assistance and job opportunities, in some cases, were given to help people afford to move, he said.

 

Steve Nichols, 67, was loading his belongings into a U-Haul trailer on Wednesday.  Nichols said eviction has not dampened his Christmas spirit because he waited until finding a new home on Circle Drive to put up his tree.  Nichols said he feels bad about having to move, though, after living there 41-years, but was also glad because of declining conditions the past several years.  “There’s cops here every weekend, sometimes three times a day.  I’m ready to go.  I’m out of this place,” Nichols said.

 

Batchelor said he’s not sure why some tenants haven’t moved already but any still inside on Christmas Eve will be asked to leave and given a police escort if they refuse.  Officials are hoping to avoid such a sticky situation.  “At some point, it’s on them.  Those individuals need to strap up the boots and pull them up and be ready to move,” Dermody said.