WSAZ Investigates | City inspector says buildings ‘just as safe’ as other buildings after re-inspection

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Two weeks after six off-campus residences were deemed unsafe to live in, evicting the dozens of Marshall students living there, Huntington’s Chief Building Inspector Todd Darst told WSAZ some are safe for a few people to live in again.

Inspection reports from two weeks ago detail numerous violations at each property, including broken fire alarms, missing fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors, and unsound structures.

The eviction notices were removed two days later when property owner Dennis Johnson changed the occupancy classification so that the state fire code no longer applied. That meant the buildings moved to the city’s jurisdiction, who would have to inspect them to ensure they meet the city’s building code and standards.

Darst and his colleagues walked through three of the properties Wednesday afternoon. He told WSAZ afterward that much of the work needed on the properties to bring them up to code has now been done, including fixing the broken fire alarms found every property.

“I would say [Johnson] has probably already addressed 90 percent of [the violations], with plans on addressing the rest of them,” Darst said. “Some of the other issues are going to require some special order windows, and that’s going to take a little while to get those in. But he’s definitely on the right path with bringing these up to 100 percent compliance with the IRC.”

WSAZ asked Darst if he believed the three properties were safe for people to live in again.

“Yes, I spoke with the housing inspector and neither one of us could come up with a reason why we would say no,” he replied. “They seem just as safe as most of the places in Huntington, to be honest with you.”

WSAZ reached out to Johnson for comment. He has not responded.

WSAZ obtained previous inspection reports for the properties, which detail similar issues dating back to 2017, nearly a decade ago. In those reports, the inspectors demand a “plan of correction” within 10 days to address the issues.

WSAZ requested those plans of correction last week, and again Tuesday. They have not been provided.