DETROIT – Residents displaced from the historic “The Leland House” may soon be able to retrieve their belongings after months of uncertainty, following a bankruptcy court decision Thursday.
The 21-story building lost power in December after electrical equipment failed, leaving tenants without lights, elevators, or access to their apartments.
Since then, the property has been tied up in bankruptcy proceedings, forcing hundreds of residents out of their homes.
Many of those displaced have been staying at a hotel in Southfield, with the city of Detroit covering the cost.
An agreement reached during a bankruptcy hearing will allow tenants to return to the building to collect their belongings as part of a broader process that includes selling the property.
Darryl Stewart, who lived in the building for 15 years, said the situation has been especially difficult.
“It wasn’t a fabulous place, but it was great. We were one big happy family,” said Stewart.
A musician and artist, Stewart said much of his work remains inside his unit.
“I’m an artist. I got a lot of art. I’m a musician. I got instruments up there,” Stewart said.
Tenant advocates say the displacement has taken a heavy toll.
Steven Rimmer of the Detroit Tenants Union said some residents experienced severe emotional distress during the initial evacuation.
“There were a few people being evacuated to the hospital because it was such an emotional situation,” said Rimmer.
In some cases, the upheaval had tragic consequences, residents said.
The tenants have not been formally evicted but have been unable to return to the building for months, leaving many without reliable transportation or access to their belongings.
“There’s no real transportation that they have,” Rimmer said. “A lot of folks don’t have cars.”
Stewart said the relocation to Southfield, roughly 20 miles away, has made daily life more difficult.
“Everybody doesn’t drive,” Stewart said.
Under the agreement approved by a federal bankruptcy judge, the property will be auctioned in a three-day online sale scheduled for April 27 through April 29, with a starting bid of $3 million.
If the building sells and the court approves the transaction, residents could receive financial compensation.
Tenants are expected to be allowed back into the building to retrieve their belongings beginning May 4.
For Stewart and others, the decision offers a measure of relief after months of uncertainty.
“I would like to say to the mayor, can you please step in and clear this thing up, so we can move on in our lives,” Stewart said.