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Living in the Woods Save Email Print
Posted: 9:06 PM Mar 3, 2008
 Last Updated: 2:33 AM Mar 4, 2008
 Reporter: Laurabree Austin
Email Address: laurabree.austin@wsaz.com
29 comments
A | A | A

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- They paid their rent, but now they're homeless.

The roommates say they've been forced to sleep in the woods on Charleston’s west side. They were living in an apartment just across the street, but the city shut down the apartment building on Saturday saying it was unsafe.

It left about 10 people looking for a place to stay. Some went to shelters, others to hotels, but these folks say they don't have any money to spend on a hotel, and they shouldn't have to go to a shelter because they paid the rent.

We tried to contact the landlord, but she has not returned our calls.
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Posted by: Hattie on Mar 5, 2008 at 08:00 PM
Just curious but does not the city inspect these places of public housing?If they do I think the city should house them since someone obviously failed.Come on WSAZ lets ask the mayor,or someone in city government Maybe do a little EXPOSE'
Posted by: Sadie on Mar 5, 2008 at 07:49 PM
Where is the Red Cross ? What about shelters or churches? Wait and see if the next story on here will be where the West Virginia Department of children services have removed the children from the custody of their parents because they don't have suffient housing!
Posted by: dave on Mar 5, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Certainly, there's better places to go than the woods to live? Getting booted from their apartment; City of Charlestons fault. Not getting money back; Landlords fault. Living in woods because they're too proud to go to a shelter for help; THEY'RE FAULT! I feel bad because they lost their place to live, but not for living like homeless winos. Do they not have friends? No family? I'm sure there's somewhere to go then under a tree. If not, all you people posting on here about how horrible it is, and who should get the blame, and these people need help... Why don't you offer a place to stay?
Posted by: Jennifer on Mar 5, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Could not agree with you more Joe. If this were a dog, we would be having fundraisers left and right. Unfortunately, pets live better than humans in the state of West Virginia. What a shame.
Posted by: mary on Mar 5, 2008 at 12:53 AM
That's the poorest job of journalism I've ever heard. Gee thanks a lot.
Posted by: anonymous on Mar 4, 2008 at 10:48 PM
A landlord is not responsible for alternative housing if a property is uninhabitable for any reason. A person renting a dwelling can purchase "renters insurance" which is very inexpensive and will cover loss of use expenses if you are forced to live in an alternative location due to a circumstance such as this. Most leases inform the tenant of this. It is up to the tenant to obtain this coverage. The landlord SHOULD return the unsued portion of the rent that the tenants paid and I would request any damage deposit money back that may have been paid because the building obviously was damaged through circumstances not related to the occupancy of the building.
Posted by: Cassie on Mar 4, 2008 at 04:38 PM
It is so sad to see these people homeless, and nothing being done to the laidlord for letting people live in a unsafe apt, and taking there money and not giving it back. Alot of landlords do that and getting away with it. There needs to be a law to protect renters from what I call "Slumlords".
Posted by: EZZ on Mar 4, 2008 at 03:58 PM
SLUMLORD is a better word for the owner of the building, refund,refund,refund, the state lets these kind of people own this type of buisness, they like these type of people It gives them a place to put HUD recipiants, I agree though put them up in a hotel until the problems are solved,check yuor state laws people,sometimes you can pay the court house the rent until the slumlord fixes the problems check
Posted by: Melissa on Mar 4, 2008 at 02:43 PM
to David : they liked where they lived that is why they PAID rent...DUH THe City shut the building down because the slumlord that took the rent money didn't take care of their home... read before you speak !!! To all the renters just keep looking up life will happen it, How you deal with it what matters.. I would go through the court system and see about getting your rent back...for how ever long you can
Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 4, 2008 at 02:06 PM
to david, i sure hope nothing like this ever happens to any of your family because you would be to busy going your own way.
Posted by: One Womans Voice on Mar 4, 2008 at 01:49 PM
This is directed to David. You made yourself look like an idiot. They arent looking for handouts. Thier apartment building was shutdown for being unsafe after they paid thier rent and bills. Which left them without money or time to find another home. Imagine if this happened to you. Its a scary thought. Its a sad situation and the landlord needs to do the right thing by giving them thier rent and deposit back.
Posted by: snoopysmaster on Mar 4, 2008 at 01:42 PM
they should all go stay at the landlord's house until she comes up off a refund and she definitely needs to be sued in court
Posted by: unknown on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:36 AM
They need to get there money back.. I agree with it to.. Thats wrong
Posted by: EC on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:13 AM
The legislators just bailed out the teachers, and gave themselves a 5000. raise. Maybe if you hurry over to the Capitol, they will bail out the landlord. I not only blame the landlord for not giving their money back, but I also blame the agency who closed it, before these people could find a place to stay. You know this agency wasn't doing its job, because the building didn't get this way over night.
Posted by: Debbie on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:12 AM
It would seem that since they lost their home thru no fault of their own, the Red Cross would step up. If the deficiencies caused a fire they would. Sad to see folks screwed over this way.
Posted by: GG on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:06 AM
I wonder who their landlord is? Anyone know?
Posted by: annette on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:03 AM
this land lord after taking their rent money should return their money or give them a new place to stay,it just goes to show you how low people in this world are getting, if this landlord were in their shoes he wouldn't like it.Their should be a law for this kind of person(land lord)who takes people money and not return it when the place they are renting not fit too live in. Huntington should be a better town to set back and let those people live on the streets they should make this land lord do the right thing were your heart at in there feet or do they have one. Dog eat dog world today.
Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 4, 2008 at 09:37 AM
Give the last months rent and the damamge dep. (if there is one) back. Then, thye just need to move on. We all have been wronged in life. There is plenty of apt. for rent. The landlord does needs to give the money back for this past month.
Posted by: David on Mar 4, 2008 at 08:23 AM
If you do not like where you live ... MOVE. If you can not afford to move ... get a job. Expectations of handouts is unrealistic and lazy. The rest of us go our own way ... why can't these people?
Posted by: Stacy on Mar 4, 2008 at 08:16 AM
Since these people paid their rent, the landlord needs to either give them a refund or pay for their hotel bill. This is a shame that these people are living outside right now. What are they eating, and now it's raining. The law should make the landlord pay for them a hotel room if she won't give them thier money back.
Posted by: Joe on Mar 4, 2008 at 07:42 AM
If they were dog's without shelter, there would be a national outcry. People treat animals better than other humans.
Posted by: BIRDEYE on Mar 4, 2008 at 07:16 AM
SHAME ON THE LANDLORD ,THE RENTERS SHOULD GET THERE MONEY BACK. OR FIND THEM ALL HOUSING. DO THE RIGHT THING MR.LANDLORD?????
Posted by: Donna on Mar 4, 2008 at 01:59 AM
I AGREE 100%. The landlord needs to give their money back to them thats owed to them. If not I'd take them to court, cause thats not right!
Posted by: ?????? on Mar 4, 2008 at 01:39 AM
hey landlord get thier money to them for a roof then you will be forgiven.If they have the money you recieved for rent then they will have money to keep warm. hope you man-up
Posted by: Cares on Mar 4, 2008 at 12:06 AM
This is not a good thing. If the laws already on the books were kept up,and the codes were enforced things like this wouldn't happen. Landlords should have to fix it or find people a place to live.
Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 3, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Pretty darn sad Nobody cares about anyone anymore
Posted by: wished I could help on Mar 3, 2008 at 10:12 PM
This is just terrible. If I had the money to put them in a hotel, I would. I think the landlord should give them their money back. If the city closed the apartment for safety reasons, then why were people living there in the first place? Also, the city should give these people a place to stay, & help them fight to get their money back.
Posted by: ------ on Mar 3, 2008 at 10:11 PM
I dont think I could personally handle sleeping in the woods, or for that matter in a shelter. She needs to refund their money or provide them a place to stay for as long as they had paid their rent for. I'd be knocking on her door, or sleeping on her front porch.
Posted by: dm on Mar 3, 2008 at 09:17 PM
Looks like the city could have waited until these people had a place to go. The land lord need to return their money!!!! Look it only the right thing to do.
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