SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – After more than a week of living out of suitcases in area hotels, residents at The Sapphire in Southfield finally got the all clear to return. But many could not believe what they came home to.
After the building's pipes burst during a cold snap, the water and heat were shut off.
Some people still don't have heat, and others have toilets that don't flush. The locks on many doors were removed and some residents only found that out when they came home. Many others are dealing with carpets drenched in water.
Chanel Gordon's grandmother, Rose Brown, is 90 and has limited mobility. She has one day left at a hotel, and her family doesn't think the apartment will be ready in time.
"The heat is finally working, but you can feel yourself -- it's still cold in here," Gordon said.
Residents at The Sapphire in Southfield were told Saturday the heat had been restored and they could return home.
Gordon saw a long line of frustrated residents at the apartment's leasing office.
Many were shocked to see the locks on their doors had been removed and their valuables left vulnerable. In another case, a maintenance worker was caught lying on a couch on security video.
"I'm frustrated. Every time I come back here, I get upset," said Laberry Gordon, who lives at The Sapphire.
Management said 90 percent of the units are back in working order, and released a statement:
"Unlike most landlords, we are not telling our residents to use their renters insurance or the Red Cross to fund their alternative housing needs. We have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in hotel accommodations since January 5th and we are not charging rent during this impacted timeframe."