DETROIT (WWJ) -- Dozens of residents who were forced to leave a Downtown Detroit apartment building are still trying to figure out when they can pick up their stuff, nearly two months later.
On December 10, 2025, more than 40 residents were evacuated from the Leland House Apartments — a historic 1927, 22-story building — because of broken electrical equipment.
The building was locked up at that time.
Fast forward to this week, a judge heard arguments from the tenants' union, and decided to reconvene on this matter on Feb. 24.
Residents, meanwhile, are still living in temporary housing, and the building remained locked and inaccessible as of Friday
Speaking to WWJ Newsradio 950's Darrylin Horne, one former resident aid he find the building's sudden shutdown suspicious.
"They illegally evicted us, because we had every right to say we're in here and we're not going anywhere, and they can't do nothing," he told Horne. "But what they don't understand is nobody wants to go back. We just want to get our stuff and be done with the situation."
Back on Dec. 2, DTE Energy warned it was about to shut off power to the Leland House. However, the building's owners said they were able to obtain financing to pay DTE to continue power at the building, which would allow residents to stay.
Ultimately, the Detroit Fire Department did determine that the building was unsafe to occupy.
Since that time, the owners proposed to hold a fasttrack auction online after filing for bankruptcy, but a judge rejected that proposal.