A total of 27 units in 7 buildings on the 800 block of North Adams Street in Wilmington were condemned following the collapse of a brick wall Monday.
James Jordan is one of many residents evicted without even a day’s notice on Monday.
“Just that day they let us go in for like five minutes to grab some stuff real fast and we’ve been staying at the Sheraton since," Jordan said.
On Sunday night, a brick wall between 816 and 818 North Adams Street partially collapsed, leading the Department of Licenses and Inspections to find a total of 372 city code violations throughout the entire complex.
“It’s very concerning," Jordan said. "I’m on the first floor, what if the floor would’ve caved in where I live at? I mean it could’ve been anything. It’s very concerning to me, yes.”
Tenants have been allowed to return at certain times to collect more of their belongings. One resident, Warren, who declined to give his last name, was cleaning out his basement on Wednesday afternoon.
“They didn’t give us no warning or nothing," Warren said. "[They said] you gotta leave because of whatever potential of the building [to collapse]. And you gotta leave. Grab something if you can and you can’t go back in.”
Property owner, AJ Pokorny, was served with an emergency order Tuesday afternoon. Damaged and deteriorated brick masonry, holes in foundation walls, and rotted exterior wood are just a few of the many violations that Pokorny has 30 days to fix. At the property on Wednesday, Pokorny declined to comment on record.
Wilmington 4th District Council member Michelle Harlee said in a statement Tuesday she will do her part to hold the landlord accountable, She says that landlord has been renting subpar apartments for decades, according to several of her sources.
The city and New Castle County put 19 people, including Jordan, at the Hope Center at the Sheraton, and another 11 are being taken care of by the state at another local hotel. The rest sought refuge with family and friends.
