An email sent to tenants on Monday said work to restore gas supplies should be completed in the next 7-14 days.
DALLAS – The nearly 250 renters evicted after an apartment explosion in South Dallas last week received leaflets announcing that their hotel stays would be extended “at least” until Wednesday.
The city’s emergency management office confirmed to the WFAA on Tuesday that tenants must be checked out by Thursday due to the rooms that have already been booked for the Texas / OU weekend.
“I’m pretty sure they made these reservations well in advance of this event,” said Audelia Camarillo.
Camarillo said she and other tenants weren’t told why they had to check out of the three downtown Dallas hotels they stayed in, but she understands.
“They would be uncomfortable, but kind of annoying,” said Camarillo. “But who wants to give up their room, right?”
The State Fair website states that the highly anticipated weekend typically draws 100,000 people. Room rates for the hotel where Camarillo is staying with her family double for a Friday check-in compared to a booking made for a Wednesday through Friday stay.
Meanwhile, Camarillo said the need to evacuate her home changed her family’s plans this year.
“We can’t even take them to mass because we don’t have any money,” said Camarillo.
Camarillo is focused on what comes after Wednesday. She said she hoped renters would be offered vouchers to another hotel, but she said it would make it harder to get their children to school on time. Her school is a short walk from the hotel she lives in, but she has already seen the struggle for families whose children go to school near her apartment complex.
While the company that owns Highland Hills has not responded to WFAA’s requests for comment or information, tenants did provide emails and flyers sent by the property management company.
Residents were asked to return to their units if they lived in buildings other than the two demolished after the explosion, but were told that the gas was not restored. An email sent to tenants on Monday said work to restore gas supplies should be completed in the next 7-14 days.
“How are we supposed to feel safe?” asked Camarillo.
She said she heard conflicting stories about what caused the explosion but doesn’t believe this would have happened had the property been properly maintained.
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“People don’t care about communities like ours,” Camarillo said.
She got emotional when she talked about returning to the property on Tuesday.
“All of our children stand and play on the thing where the building was demolished,” said Camarillo. “You stand there and hang around. If that had happened on the weekend, our children would have been dead. ”
She said an employee of the complex told her residents that they would not be let out of their leases unless their buildings were demolished. She said to take legal action.
“I just want to move out of the apartments and start over,” said Camarillo.
Several agencies have taken care of the displaced tenants. The city also announced a resource center at the Erik Jonsson Central Library, which will be open from 11am to 7pm on Wednesday
If you want to support, you can donate to the Dallas City Emergency Fund at the Dallas Foundation, bit.ly/3oqXGVu.
If nonprofit groups want to help displaced residents, they can send an email oemdepartment@dallascityhall.comwith their contact information and what resources they provide for inclusion in the resource guide.
