SAN ANTONIO – It's been four days since five tornados hit the area, and now people living at some North Side condominiums are finding out that it will be along time until they can come back home.
Condo owners at Chateau Dijon received a message saying two of the condo buildings were determined to be "structurally unsound and fire hazards." The message, signed by the Chateau Dijon office manager, said residents would need to move out ASAP and find temporary living arrangements for up to a year.
One displaced resident, Dick Gill, said he hadn't seen the message, but he heard the news about the buildings' condition from his insurance adjustor and the structural engineer.
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"Of course I didn't need to be told that because as you can see, my condominium doesn't have a roof on it. It’s completely open to the sky," he said. "And we have other interior damage as well.
Gwynne Vosburgh, a resident of one of the buildings deemed "structurally unsound," said she had left for a few days after the tornado but had moved back in.
"But they have totally encouraged everybody to leave for their own safety," Vosburgh said. "And that's their decision. I chose to do it."
However, according to the condos' management team, which represents the Chateau Dijon Home Owners Association’s board of directors, all the residents in the two buildings now need to leave, but the property would be rehabilitated.
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In the meantime, the message to residents advised them to find "temporary living arrangements for upwards of a year."
For Jill Martin, a displaced resident waiting to meet her insurance adjustor, all that's left is to sit back and see what happens.
"Hopefully, (I will) get to come back. It's a great place to live," Martin said.
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The message to residents stated that a letter from the engineer would be submitted to the city about the property's condition. A city spokeswoman said the city would review the findings, but it wouldn't have a say in the rebuilding process besides ensuring the property meets city code.
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