SANDUSKY, Ohio (WJW) — The impact of last week’s historic rainfall continues to be felt by residents, who have been displaced by flood damage.
The storms caused extensive flooding in Sandusky, Perkins Township, Huron and the surrounding area of Erie County.
Overflowing rain water — and, in some cases, raw sewage — poured out of drains and through windows in basement apartments at four complexes in the Sandusky area managed by Monarch Investment and Management Group: Foxborough Commons, Sandpiper Cove, Monticello Arms and Crossings at Remington.
The flooding at Foxborough Commons was a traumatic experience for Jordan Hendricks and her four children, after they were awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of rushing water filling their apartment.
“It was horrible. I didn’t know what to do,” Hendricks told FOX 8 News. “Everyone had called maintenance. Nobody came out. So, actually, a lot of us spent the whole night trying to scoop the water out.”
Hendricks said the flood waters destroyed nearly everything she and her children own. However, she told us the real nightmare came when she and other flood victims were notified by the apartment management company that they cannot return to their apartments because the basement units have been condemned.
“They’re throwing us out like stray cats and dogs. I feel like I’m failing my children as a mother, and it’s not something that I did or something I can fix at this current moment,” said Hendricks. “And I don’t even know what to say to my kids to make them understand. They’re so young and we now have nothing.”
Sandusky City Manager John Orzech said the units were deemed uninhabitable after the management company invited inspectors to examine the damage caused by the flood water and sewage.
“The biggest concern is the health and safety of them, and it’s something that we don’t take lightly. This has been a tragic experience for hundreds of residents in the community. We can’t take any chances with issues like mold and fecal matter,” said Orzech.
The American Red Cross plans to open a shelter at New Jerusalem Baptist Church, 1920 Shelby St., Sandusky, a spokesperson told FOX 8 News on Wednesday. It’s expected to open at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31.
After being provided a hotel room for five days after the flood, Hendricks said she and her children are now staying in cramped conditions at her mother’s house.
“I hope that something is done — that they show some sort of compassion; that they can help us, offer us resources; something,” she said.
Monarch Investment and Management Group issued a statement that reads:
Due to the unprecedented rainfall during the storm last week multiple apartments have been deemed uninhabitable by the city. It is with a heavy heart that we must follow through with the terms of conditions that have been handed down to us from the health department and the city code enforcement in an effort to put the health and safety of our residents first. We are actively relocating residents where apartments are available. In addition, we are working closely with the American Red Cross, Erie County Emergency Management and The Salvation Army to assist those that have been displaced. This is an extremely unfortunate situation for all involved and we will work through the restoration process, in conjunction with the city, to make impacted apartments available for the displaced residents as soon as possible. We recognize this is a significant disruption for all impacted residents. Again, it is for the health and safety of our residents that these units have been taken offline.
Monarch Investment and Management Group
