- City of Dayton placed notices on residents' doors last week of ongoing fire code violations
- Relief for tenants sought through American Red Cross and Homefull
- Property manager said he was working to fix violations
UPDATE @ 10:27 a.m. (Nov. 11):
The tenants who were living at the Grandview Apartments have vacated the complex, according to city officials.
The residents had until noon Tuesday to leave, and when city inspectors returned to the property yesterday no one was living at the property.
The property owner, Charles Jia, is facing four charges in Dayton Municipal Court, including two counts of failing to comply to orders by fire officer and two counts of occupancy of nonconforming building, according to court records.
A status conference on the case was set to occur in 45 days.
Jia has said previously that he is working to fix the violations of fire and housing codes.
UPDATE @ 7:15 p.m. (Nov. 4)
Tenants of the Grandview Apartments in Dayton have less than a week to find a new place to live.
The city of Dayton has issued a notice to residents to vacate the property by 9 a.m. Tuesday amid safety violations that led the city to shut down the building.
Initially, tenants were given only 24 hours to leave.
The property manager of the three-building complex previously said the company was working to fix the problems.
UPDATE @ 5:38 p.m. (Nov. 4)
Bryan Adams, fire prevention specialist at Dayton Fire, said it’s not common for an apartment complex to have multiple violations, but it rarely elevates to shutting down a building.
“It’s been an ongoing code enforcement issue,” Adams said, starting in March. “We’ve been trying to work with the business owner to make the needed repairs.”
Violations at the Grandview Apartments include furniture in the hallways — a fire hazard; missing fire doors; and lack of operable fire alarm system and smoke detectors, Adams said.
And in one room, an air conditioner and TV had melted after portable propane heaters were used to treat a bed bug infestation.
“We try to use every means necessary to compel the business owners to comply with the fire code and do that in a cooperative fashion so we’re not in this situation,” Adams said.
Adams said if the apartment complex wasn’t in order by this week, it’s possible the fire department will seek a judge to shut down the building.
Adams said since March, the tenants had not been notified of any code violation problems from the property owner. He said at least twice, the code enforcement signs posted on the doors were removed.
UPDATE @ 5:27 p.m. (Nov. 4)
On Wednesday, residents at Grandview Apartments were loading up moving trucks and vacating.
Tenant Christina Dewenter said: “It’s pretty terrifying, I don’t think any of us got any sleep last night.”
Dewenter told News Center 7’s Mike Campbell she’s been renting week-to-week at Grandview Apartments for six weeks now. She said residents learned of the trouble after spotting code violation notices from the fire marshal.
Another tenant Heather Hale said she only moved in last Friday.
“He wasn’t supposed to move anyone in, he moved me in, took my money,” Hale said. “I was just starting to feel safe, now I’m back to ‘Where am I going to go?’”
“We don’t know if we’ll be compensated, it’s very scary. A lot of us don’t have other options,” Dewenter said.
FIRST REPORT (Nov. 3)
The Dayton Fire Department placed notices on the doors at the Grandview Apartments, located in the 600 block of West Grand Avenue, on Tuesday.
“There has been a legal order on the building since March 27,” said Toni Bankston, public affairs for the city of Dayton, in an email. “We have sought relief for tenants through the American Red Cross and Homefull.”
James Sharp, was one of several residents told Tuesday they may have to move out within 24 hours. Sharp, who lives at the complex with his wife and two children, said he was frustrated by the situation.
The city confirmed what Sharp and other residents told this news organization.
“Residents present today were told to evaluate their options, in case orders to vacate the building are prepared tomorrow or later this week,” Bankston said in second email.
Charles Jia, property manager for Grandview Apartments, said he was working to fix the problems and they have corrected minor violations, such as replacing exit signs and extinguisher inspections.
Jia said he was unaware the building was at risk of being closed down until the fire marshal showed up. He said he received no pre-warning, except for the violations notice issued months ago.
He said he wishes the city would have worked with him to bring the buildings up to code.
“I personally believe we have achieved a lot,” he said.
But he said the apartments were built in 1962 and they need a new fire alarm system, which is very expensive. He said it could cost $50,000 to $100,000 to make the needed repairs.
He said the Grandview Apartments are a three building complex. One building was empty. He said the other two have more than 66 units.
He said they have more than 40 tenants.