SALINE, Mich. (WXYZ) — A roof collapse led to a headache for renters in Saline. At least one woman ended up sleeping in her van.
There’s a sign on the building warning people to stay out and some of the roofing material was left behind.
While no one was hurt in the collapse: it left people scrambling and at least one woman was left in a bad place.”
Showing us inside her van, Jeri Farnell admits life has been tough. All the more difficult because the van was her home the other night.
it’s a tough pill to swallow. Afterall, it was her home until she found this place - now plastered with warnings - back in February.
She thought it was her miracle.
“They told us: You’ll never be homeless again!” Farnell says. “But, yeah, here we are. I dunno — it’s just been a nightmare everyday it gets worse over there.”
The worst of it came this past weekend, when the collapsed roof made her home a hazard.
Her legs couldn’t get her to a second-floor apartment that was offered, then they ran out of space, hence the time in the van.
She’s found housing until the 27th, but things get murkier after that.
If you listen closely you hear work continuing at other apartments. I went to speak with management and while they say they’re rushing her deposit back to her, there's little help.
Meanwhile, the city is working quickly to keep this from happening to others.
“Because of the structural collapse for the one building, it enabled us to be on site for all of them,” says City Manager Todd Campbell.
They’re reviewing all these buildings under their dangerous building ordinance.
While the complex tells me, they’ll help Farnell find a place, she’s worried her arthritic knees will end up back in the van.
Not to mention, the stuff she’s lost inside.
Since 7 Action News got involved management called up Jeri and told her they’d cut her a check for her deposit, but she says strings are attached. She has to sign a document saying they’re not at fault for anything.
She’s not decided what she’s going to do and she’s still got that question: What about those days she still may end up back in her van?
