Residents get more time to leave troubled Belleville apartments

Residents of the Rob Nora Apartments have been given additional time by Belleville before they have to leave the complex.

The city had ordered about 30 residents to leave by Wednesday because the complex at 7009 W. Main St. failed to meet the city’s building code requirements.

Bob Sabo, director of the city’s Health, Housing and Building Department, said city officials have talked to the residents who have not yet been able to find a new home.

“We’re working with them,” Sabo said Wednesday.

Sabo said city inspectors will return to the complex on Aug. 8 to see how many people are still there.

Residents Vernon Windom Sr. and Shantell Stewart still have not moved and both said on Wednesday that they will need more time.

“That’s still not enough time,” Windom said of the extension to early August. “It’s not right at all.”

Stewart said the residents need help in finding a place. She’d like to see a GoFundMe campaign started for the residents. She said she has surgery scheduled for Aug. 2 will need to be on bed rest for two days after that.

Stewart said “stray dogs” get treated better than the Rob Nora residents.

The city has asked the St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Department and Catholic Urban Programs to assist the residents.

Circuit Judge Robert LeChien on June 27 ruled that the building owner, A.D.J. Services LLC of Missouri, allowed the apartments “to become injurious to the health and dangerous to the lives” of the residents based the company’s “refusal to comply” with the city’s electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire-safety codes. Consequently, LeChien permitted the city to revoke all current occupancy permits and he issued a permanent injunction requiring A.D.J. Services to “immediately” comply with codes and ordinances to make the building safe.

Dale Helle, the property manager, said last week that it has been “a very difficult process” to bring the complex up to code because the complex is about 60 years old.

City inspectors visited the property in November and noted deficiencies. When they returned in May, the requested work had not been completed.

Some of the work required by the city included: Install dry wall with a one-hour fire rating on the ceiling of the basement or fire suppression sprinklers for the basement; remove all extension cord wiring; and replace all rusted flue pipes and fittings.

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 5:19 PM with the headline "Residents get more time to leave troubled Belleville apartments."