ROYAL OAK TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Hundreds of people in Royal Oak Township are without homes after officials ordered all tenants of the Royal Inn motel to be moved out Tuesday.
The motel off 8 Mile Road near Meyers Road was deemed unfit for living after it received 33 building violations and 17 fire violations.
Michigan State Police and the city fire marshall were on scene Tuesday, along with aid organizations, to help people find new places to live.
Over the years, the motel became known as a hotspot for drug use and prostitution, and after countless police runs, the Royal Inn was condemned.
Residents began moving out of the hotel Tuesday as the doors were supposed to be padlocked, but a last-minute legal challenge has the future of the building in question.
"Everything will be lost," a woman said. "They said to get everything you want out. I mean, I will lose a whole bunch of stuff. I've been here two and a half years."
With all their belongings crammed into shopping carts, people who lived at the motel are wondering what's next.
"They're just sitting there waiting," a woman said. "They have nowhere to go."
Residents admit some units lacked running water, and the building had issues with rodents. But for many, it was a buffer against homelessness.
"Is it better for all these residents and children and so on and so on to be in the streets or under a roof for where whatever is wrong can be made better?" a man said.
Aid organizations were back at the motel Tuesday to help people find places to live, but there were also regular volunteers who heard the story and wanted to help.
"I love everybody," a volunteer said. "If I can help somebody, I'll help them. If you love God, when you love him, you've got to love everyone."
After the motel was condemned, the owners filed a temporary restraining order. Royal Oak Township responded with a counter-motion. The doors aren't padlocked, but uncertainty remains.
"I'm going to another motel, and I don't know how long that will last," a resident said. "I just wish there was better housing for people with lower income."
Over the long weekend, many elderly residents moved out. From a legal standpoint, since the building has been condemned, it should be vacated. Some people are waiting to see what happens.