Residents Forced To Vacate From Historic, Problem-Plagued Roseville Building
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) – It's one of the oldest buildings in Roseville, but the city says it is now unsafe to occupy.
Boarded up, with no way of getting in, the people who lived there say they would much rather be inside right now.
Instead, they're out on the street.
Right next to the railroad tracks at the heart of Roseville's historic district, people are celebrating the Super Bowl at The Union bar.
But just upstairs, the rest of the building is suddenly life-less.
"We had one of the larger places," Jim Visscher said.
To kick people out who are lower income and to treat them like trash is not fair.
--Louie Barela, one of the residents ordered to vacate
Visscher and his neighbors were ordered to move out of 112 Pacific Street. All fourteen units.
"It was hectic, we just tried to get our valuables first," Visscher said.
He's now living out his car next to his old friend, who lives in his truck.
"To kick people out who are lower income and to treat them like trash is not fair," said Louie Barela, who was also ordered to move out.
City inspectors plastered "Danger" signs Friday, saying they gave the owner months to make repairs; things like bad smoke detectors, lighting, broken doors, roof leaks – which the bar owner eventually shelled out his own money to fix.
"At first we were concerned the city wasn't going to let us stay here," said Brandon Blankenship, owner of The Union.
Blankenship is grateful the city didn't shut him down, too, but sides with the city that something had to be done.
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The owner of the property claims his building was vandalized. And according to the sign at the back, people will be allowed back into their units for two hours next week or their stuff will be tossed.
"I didn't see much, it's not unsafe, it's clean in there," Visscher said.
And the future of building remains in question. The owner says if he gets his way, it'll be up for sale sometime soon.
An interested buyer says they're already working with the bank and current owner to take over ownership of the building.
