DETROIT – Residents of the historic Leland House in Downtown Detroit remain unable to retrieve their belongings more than a month after an emergency evacuation, as owners push toward a potential March auction of the troubled property.
“We got out in a panic. We don’t grab everything. You can’t take it,” said Daryl Stewart, who has lived in the building since 2011. “In the back of my mind, I could possibly lose these things I’ve had possibly all my life.”
The crisis began in December when approximately 41 residents were forced to evacuate after an electrical failure cut power, heat, and elevator service to the building. Many left behind essential items, including medications, identification documents, and irreplaceable personal belongings, thinking the displacement would be temporary.
During Monday’s bankruptcy court proceedings, the Detroit Fire Marshal firmly opposed allowing residents to retrieve their possessions, stating there “isn’t a safe way for them to retrieve their items.” The building remains under a “Do Not Occupy” order, with residents scattered across temporary accommodations provided by the city.
“They haven’t been offered any due process during this time,” said Steve Rimmer, director of the Detroit Tenants Union. “They can’t get in to get their belongings and they haven’t gotten any clarity or real communication from the property owner.”
The building’s owner, Leland House Limited Partnership, which faces more than $20 million in debt, is pushing for an auction in March.
Residents’ attorneys have filed multiple motions in response, including one to block any potential sale that would terminate existing leases and another seeking permission for tenants to personally remove their belongings rather than relying on contracted movers.
A bankruptcy judge on Monday requested more information about the proposed auction, particularly regarding plans to sell the building together with its parking lot.
“It’s a safety thing,” Stewart acknowledged, “but it seems like you can go up there and get it and get right out. Can you do that? Yes we can.”