COLUMBUS, Ohio — The city of Columbus is telling people in nearly 200 units at Colonial Village to evacuate immediately due to a lack of a safe heating source.
Tony Celebrezze with Columbus Building and Zoning said they are knocking on 187 doors to evacuate a portion of the troubled apartment complex.
Colonial Village was declared a public nuisance in 2021 and fell into receivership last year. In early November, city crews found more than 800 people living in condemned buildings on the property.
According to the nuisance motion, three men brought hundreds of people from Haiti and Florida to live in the complex. Many of them were living in units that were supposed to be vacant.
Due to the lack of a safe heating source, the city is transporting residents to the Barnett Community Center. From there, they will be taken to local hotels and motels. The city is covering the cost of their lodging for three months.
In that time, the city will work to find them permanent housing.
Colonial Village residents who still have heat can stay there until Dec. 31. After that, they will have to leave and a court appointed receiver will make repairs and sell the property.
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