LONG VIEW, N.C. — The Long View Town Council voted unanimously Monday to shut down 28 units at the Hilltop Apartments after they were deemed uninhabitable for safety hazards and neglect.
As a result, around two dozen residents will be required to vacate the buildings, the Hickory Record reported.
The property is managed by the Ohio-based Millennia Housing Management. Officials first learned of the issues at the apartment complex in September after receiving complaints about overflowing dumpsters and substandard living conditions.
[ READ MORE >> Residents told to leave Long View apartments over safety concerns ]
The town of Long View said inspections found issues, including severe sanitation concerns, water leaks and plumbing failures, mold and moisture damage, electrical hazards, inoperable smoke detectors, and units lacking functional heating or air conditioning.
The council’s decision impacts two specific buildings identified as having structural safety hazards. One building contains eight apartments, while the other contains 10. The remaining 10 units ordered to be vacated are scattered throughout the rest of the complex. Some of the impacted units were already vacant, while others were occupied at the time of the vote.
The Hickory Record reported that Crystal Ramey, the district regional manager for Millennia Housing Management, was at the meeting and said the company has now secured funding for repairs. She was joined by her husband, Les Ramey, who oversees maintenance for the company. Crystal Ramey said they have been trying to secure funding since October and November.
Crystal Ramey said she will be at the Hilltop Apartments starting Tuesday to begin assessing and repairing the safety violations alongside a contractor.
But for the families who once lived on the property, it’s too late.
“It’s bad,” Stephanie Youman, a mother and Hilltop tenant told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty last week. “I’m going to have to find a place for me and my family to go, and I’ve got three kids.”
Residents now have less than two weeks to move out. The town’s housing authority can help people find somewhere else to live by the move out date of March 23.
VIDEO: Code enforcement steps in as tenants report overflowing dumpsters
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