'Where are we going to go?' Residents getting kicked out of Durham apartments before end of the year

Residents said they were shocked when they received a letter on Nov. 29 stating they need to vacate by the end of December.

For 18 years, the Braswell Properties apartments on North Buchanan Boulevard have been home for Lathonia Roberts.

"[I've] never been late [and] have always paid my rent on time. That's a good record, I think" said Roberts.

But now, the families who call the apartment complex home must be gone by Dec. 31.

"They're being very, very nasty to us. Nobody came from the realty to explain anything to us," said Roberts.

Reformation Asset Management, a property management company that represents the two new owners, Andrea Robin Shaw and Kenneth Gorfkle, sent the letter to the apartment's tenants. The company's owner, Charles Bulthuis, said because of the condition of the properties, residents have to leave for repairs to be made.

"Their [apartments] are in substantial disrepair," said Bulthuis. "They have roofs that are falling in. They have holes in the walls. They have a flood situation. They have a retaining wall that is completely gone. One of the units gets flooded by mud and water. There are infestations of cockroaches, evidence of mice and other rodents," he added.

A representative of Bulthuis told WRAL News that all tenants in the properties are on "hold over leases," which means either tenant or landlord could terminate the lease with 30 days' written notice once the original lease term ended.

The representative indicates the letter was intended to be the first part of the eviction process, which can take an extended period of time, and that Bulthuis is following the law.

"It's hard. I'm on a fixed income. I'm a heart patient. I'm disabled ... it's stressful and it's right here at Christmas time," said Janice Sanchez, who moved to the apartment complex three months ago. "It's heartless. It's right here at the holiday time. It's cold and we don't have money. We're on a fixed income [and] mostly everybody over here is disabled."

Sanchez said she has nowhere to go.

"It's not easy to go out and find a place," Sanchez said. "Had I known this was going to happen, I would have never moved here."

Residents have mobilized to try and fight back. They're also getting support from community members, like St. John's Baptist Church.

Church member Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove said he believes every rental unit at the complex is violating housing codes.

"[The apartments] are very substandard," he added.

"I think it's a real responsibility of all of us in the community to not only make sure that the current landlord treats them justly, but that they just find new homes in our community," he added.

"The owner knows that, if he doesn't rehab these properties, he's going to be in violation of the city's codes," said Bulthuis. "It's kind of a no-win situation."

The cost of the repairs will cause the rent at the apartment complex to go up substantially, according to Bulthuis.

"There's about $750,000 of repairs, so yes, the rent will have to go up," he said.

While residents agree repairs are desperately needed, they said they just want more time to find a new place.

"I went by the other day to see a place, and they wanted $50 just to fill out the application," said Roberts. "Where are we going to go? There's no apartments out here, plus I have two sick boys, and it's rough."

"This has been their community for decades, and they're left in a situation where they don't know where they can go," added Wilson-Hartgrove.

But Bulthuis said that's not an option.

"The owner will follow the letter of the law," he added.

A representative for Reformation Asset Management said the company is offering to help ​the tenants find a new home at one of its other locations. It is also offering to provide free transportation to its offices, waive application fees and secure funding toward a deposit and first month rent.