Colonial Village Apartments is a ghost town two days after residents were forced to relocate from the east Columbus complex.
Nearly 900 residents, many of them Haitian refugees, were forced to move out following a lengthy legal battle between the city and owners of the apartment complex. The property faced many complaints due to the conditions of the units before a court ordered the units to be vacated while new property owners renovated the property.
This deadline left the residents scrambling to find new housing before the end of 2023. The city and Community Shelter Board worked to find temporary housing at hotels for some residents.
A spokesperson for Kenneth Latz, the receiver of the property, declined to comment on the record about what comes next for the property. Latz, the former property owners and several other entities are named as defendants in the city's lawsuit.
Columbus City Attorney Office Spokesperson Pete Shipley said the city's code enforcement office is returning this week to inspect 120 more units. Shipley said the city cannot confirm that all the apartments are vacant until all the units are inspected.
As of Tuesday, it is unclear whether all the units are vacated. Employees of the complex and security guards walked around the property Tuesday, but there were some signs people may have still been occupying some units. About a dozen cars were parked outside some units. A few lawn decorations remained in place outside other units.
Shipley said once that inspection is complete, the property management company will start evicting people if anyone remains living at the complex.
