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John Call, owner of One Terrace Apartments, 653 F&B Walter Way and 665 G&H Walter Way, Warsaw, received two civil penalties of $1,000 each at the Warsaw Building Code Enforcement Hearings Monday.
Call, charged with non-compliance, failed to appear at the hearing.
"It seems strange that they're not even here," Hearing Officer Lawrence Clifford said.
"The tenants are starting to panic out there," Warsaw Building Inspector Pam Kennedy said.
Tenants at One Terrace Apartments realize the apartments have been named "unsafe." As to how unsafe, they're left to speculate.
"I don't want to displace that many people," Kennedy said, "but condemnation is becoming an option."
Kennedy said she tried to reach Call on April 6.
"We've not heard a word from them since," she said.
The apartments, consisting of six buildings with eight units per building, lack fire separation.
"We need fire separation," Kennedy said.
The current floor joists in each apartment are 2 feet by 8 feet. To meet standards, they must be 2 feet by 10 feet. Kennedy said you can "bounce" on the joists.
"It doesn't mean the floor boards are going to collapse," she said.
"(But,) only about three of the apartments didn't have loose concrete," Kennedy added.
Clifford said a new order will be sent next month to Call and they will "keep racking up civil penalties until we get their attention."
A new hearing will be held next month for One Terrace Apartments. If the owner fails to appear once again, another civil penalty "effective immediately" will be imposed.
In other business:
• Larry and Linda Harvey, owners of a vacant duplex at 427 S. High St., received a civil penalty for $300, postponed until May 8.
"If you schedule an inspection and pass the inspection by May 8," Clifford said, "there will be no penalty."
Kennedy said there was "90 to 95 percent compliance."
• Spencer and Tracey Davis, owners of property at 1818 Reider St., are planning on evicting their tenants at the property.
Tracey Davis said her tenants are approximately "two and a half months behind in rent" and owe her approximately $2,000.
"It's not just the rent, it's NIPSCO and water," Davis said. "I'm estimating a month, month and a half, and I'll have them out."
"It (the property) is unsafe," Kennedy said.
"Get them out as quickly as possible," Clifford said. "There shouldn't be any occupants until those violations are taken care of."
The violations include the need for a water heater replacement and 11 other violations.
Clifford imposed a $1,000 penalty, postponed until June 19.
• Carolyn Pratt, owner of property at 623 Hillside Drive, also appeared before Clifford.
Pratt's garage is sitting on concrete blocks. This means there is no foundation.
"You people are not allowed to come on my property," Pratt said in response to pictures of the garage, taken by Warsaw building inspectors.
Kennedy explained that the pictures were taken from across the street and Clifford said the city does have a right to inspect the property, pictures included.
Clifford said if the building (garage) is larger than 10 feet by 10 feet, a foundation is required. Pratt's garage is 10 feet by 12 feet and 2 inches.
"Do it with a permit as it's required under the ordinance and you'll be fine," Clifford said.
A civil penalty of $1,000 was imposed and postponed until May 31.
Pratt also needs to fill an out-house hole and complete siding.
The penalties for these items are postponed until May 8 and June 30, respectively.
• DeWayne and Becky Busz, owners of property at 317 N. Union St., received a civil penalty for $500 postponed until May 15.
"The window was the biggest issue," Kennedy said, "and he was installing the window Friday."
Busz is also asked to correct a plumbing problem at the property.
"I'll be in touch," Busz said.
• A hearing for Herman Frauhiger, owner of property at 713 E. Smith St., was postponed until the May 15 meeting.
