Local News

Residents Scramble to Find Housing with Christmas Eve Eviction Near

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte city officials are working overtime to find other housing for residents of the condemned Monroe Street Apartment building at 701 Maple Street.  Residents of the apartments have been given a deadline of Christmas Eve to vacate the building.  (Link to Prior Story on condemned apartments)

 

Much of the effort to help resident falls on the shoulders of Center Township Trustee Lisa Pierzakowski.  She has been working to help find new homes for the residents of the 46-unit apartment building.  She says that she’s still working to secure about 20 apartments for relocation of residents, but she says, “I don't even know how many people are left to help because not everybody's coming in and not everybody's answering the door.  There are still people that are basically sleeping in the hallways”.

 

The Christmas Eve deadline is not a surprise move for residents. The building was condemned back in July and the deadline for move out was established at that time.  Pierzakowski said, “We're trying to take care of all these clients that walk in the door at the last minute.  They've had 6 months to take care of this.  We are all calling and begging and pleading with landlords to take somebody”.

 

La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody talked about the situation during a radio appearance on 96.7 The Eagle on Friday.  He said, “We are passionate about people living a good life in our community.  And, I can’t turn my head away from people having to live this way”.  Dermody indicated that in addition to helping the residents secure new apartments, the city has connected residents to job opportunities and made financial support available through the Healthcare Foundation, Unity, United Way, and Swanson Center.

 

Hear Mayor Tom Dermody talk about the conditions at 701 Maple Street while on radio program"Sound Off" on 96.7 The Eagle.

 

 

 

 

 

HometownNewsNow.com and 96.7 The Eagle will continue to follow this story as the December 24th deadline nears.

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