NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FLA. – About 120 people have been forced to leave their homes after a structural engineer deemed their North Miami Beach apartment building unsafe.
“I have to bring all of the stuff out,” said Guillermo Graziano, a resident who had been evacuated.
Graziano and his family are just a few of the people forced out of their homes Monday after their apartment building was deemed structurally unsafe. He’s lived there for 17 years.
“It’s terrible,” said Graziano.
“I was told while I was walking my dog that we had to be evacuated from the building,” said Sebastian Rojas, a resident who was evacuated.
Rojas and his family have been there for about 25 years. He said they’re frustrated that things got to this point.
“It’s astonishing, you know. This is where I grew up, having to take all of your stuff. You have to figure out what’s important to you, what’s not,” said Rojas.
The building, known as Bayview 60 Homes, is located around Northeast 168th Street.
Residents were shocked and confused as they made their way out and grabbed what they could, many not knowing where they would sleep.
“I don’t know what I have to do, and I don’t know where I have to go,” said a resident.
“We have The Red Cross helping all of the people that live in the building out together with The Homeless Trust,” said North Miami Beach Mayor Anthony Defillipo.
7News was told that repairs were being made to the building, but it got to the point where things were too far gone.
The city manager said the building owner is being cooperative as they figure out their next steps.
“They have been responsible,” said North Miami Beach City Manager Arthur Sorey. “They’re actually giving everybody their three days of hotel stays, reimbursable, at the hotel of their choice, up to $150 a day, and they are giving everybody their April rent back as well as their security deposits right now.”
This is the second building in North Miami Beach deemed unsafe to live in in less than a year.
Close to 300 people were forced to evacuate the Crestview Towers back in July.
“When I read the news this morning, I was like, ‘someone is really looking over me,’” said a man.
Amidst all the chaos, at least one man who spoke with 7News said he’s relieved.
He also said, just last month, he was in the process of buying this building from the owner.
“I felt like she was rushing me to close and rushing me to go hard on my contract, so I got out of the contract,” said a man.
Residents were allowed back into the building until 11 p.m. Monday. They’ll be allowed back again on Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The mayor said he’ll be trying to figure stuff out with the city and the residents to be able to schedule appointments where residents can come grab any belongings.
Anyone who knows anyone who lives in the area or if you’re a resident, can call the Bayview 60 Homes resident hotline at 305-646-9101.
