WSAZ Investigates | City inspector says he is ‘not done’ with properties after evictions lifted

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Huntington Chief Building Inspector Todd Darst told WSAZ Friday he is “not done with” the six properties along Fifth Avenue, from which eviction notices were removed Thursday.

Dozens of Marshall students were evicted from their off-campus residences Tuesday when the properties failed safety inspections, including three fraternities.

According to the inspection reports obtained by WSAZ Wednesday, there were dozens of violations at each property, including missing carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers, as well as broken fire alarms at every single property.

Those eviction notices were removed on Thursday. According to a press release from the City of Huntington, the property owner, Dennis Johnson under his company Universal Holdings, elected to change the occupancy classification so that the state fire code no longer applies. Instead the properties are now under the city’s jurisdiction.

In a statement to WSAZ on Thursday, Johnson said he had resolved all immediate fire and life-safety concerns, and that most of the houses could be occupied again. One property, he said, he planned to demolish.

Friday, Darst told WSAZ the city plans to continue working on the properties to make sure they adhere to the city’s code requirements.

Johnson did not respond Friday to multiple requests for an interview.