Wilmer apartment fire refugees still seeking homes

Jan. 6—By the end of today all tenants at 1720 Wilmer Avenue must vacate the apartments at that address following an inspection by the city deeming the structure unsafe to occupy.

An adjacent apartment building at 1726 Wilmer was gutted by fire Dec. 26 prompting the city to inspect the building at 1720.

Tana Bryant, senior code enforcement for the city of Anniston, said during an inspection of the building that life and safety issues were discovered, forcing city officials to condemn the building that housed approximately a dozen tenants.

Bryant said that it was not just structural conditions that played a factor in the building being condemned.

"There were also living conditions in each of the units that was a determining factor as well, so bringing everything up to the bare minimum code of the 2021 International Property Maintenance Codes would be a very daunting task," Bryant said on Wednesday.

Bryant said that the city has been in talks with the building's owner, Tallulah Diffie, about the property and possible uses for it and the plight of the tenants.

Bryant said that 20 applications for housing from the Anniston Housing Authority were delivered for the tenants last week, but from Diffie's standpoint that wasn't much help. The property owner said Thursday that the New Year's holiday shortened the time tenants had to apply for housing.

"All we know is that some people still have not found homes because what I can't understand is she only gave us from last Friday until this Friday," Diffie said, referring to Bryant. "Well, places were closed. All the businesses were closed from Friday to Tuesday, our people only had two days to try and find a place, nobody came back into the office until Tuesday."

The applications for housing were preliminary applications, Diffie said, adding that applicants would have to go to the Anniston Housing Authority and complete a separate, more lengthy, application for housing.

The tenants who did apply for housing incorrectly thought that the preliminary application was the only application needed, Diffie said.

"I took two of them down there yesterday and they completed applications but they said they can't process them this week because of the limited time," Diffie said.

But time is something the tenants don't have.

"They've got to be out by tomorrow afternoon and they have nowhere to go, the cats have nowhere to go, the dogs have nowhere to go, it's terrible," Diffie said.

In a previous story in the Anniston Star Diffie pleaded with the public for donations for the tenants and homes for a gaggle of cats along with two dogs.

"We have not had any adoptions on the cats or dogs, I haven't even had any calls," Diffie said, "It's very disturbing, we did get multiple donations and they were very much appreciated."

Diffie said that after tomorrow donations for the residents will no longer be needed.

On Thursday a large tabby cat stood guard on the front porch of the ill-fated apartment complex as some residents retrieved their belongings.

Diffie said the apartment building at 1720 along with the office complex will eventually be razed.

"My understanding is that it has to be checked for asbestos and then it will be torn down," she said.

Diffie has told her tenants to be out of the building no later than 6 p.m. Friday for their own safety and for their security of their belongings. Unidentified persons have been seen around the complex after dark, she said.

Bryant said the sole job of code enforcement is to protect the health, welfare and safety of the residents of Anniston.

"I have known Ms. Diffie since I started with the city. I have great respect for her and everything she has tried to do, so this is about working with her to solve a situation — it's not the city taking a heavy hand. We are working with her," Bryant said.

Bryant said the apartment building had been inspected in recent years.

"Our rental inspection for residential properties went into effect in 2010 but this building here did not fall under that, this was an inspection based upon it's a commercial structure, the circumstances that happened next door, we're looking out for the safety of the residents," Bryant said.

Persons wanting to adopt a cat or dog left homeless by the fire may reach Diffie at (256) 282-4291.

Staff writer Bill Wilson: 256-235-3562. On Twitter @bwilson_star.