ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The management company for the Orange County apartment complex that was evacuated last week for structural issues has told residents that they will be sharing information on lease terminations.
Residents at The Rialto apartments in Dr. Phillips received a letter from the management company on Wednesday, telling them that engineers investigating the building’s structural issues said they needed more time to finish their work.
[WATCH: Orlando apartment complex residents plead for answers, timeline to return]
“We recognize that this extended timeline and the uncertainty are both challenging and unsustainable for you,” the letter said.
The company said it would share information on lease terminations and how to help residents find a new home.
They were also working on a plan to help residents get their belongings out of their apartments.
[WATCH: Orange County Rialto residents plead for help in frantic 911 call]
One week ago, Orange County fire crews were called to The Rialto on Sand Lake Road because residents heard cracking and popping noises, and the people in at least one apartment could not get their door to open.
The apartment building, which opened in 2014, was evacuated, and the businesses on the first floor of the building were also closed. No word on what will happen to those businesses.
[WATCH: Orange County finds unpermitted work at Rialto apartments amid structural concerns]
Residents continue showing up to pick up personal belongings after submitting lists of items they need from inside their apartments.
Anna Gomes, who lived at the Rialto, said the disruption has turned everyday life upside down.
“You think like, oh my gosh, I can’t wait to get home,” Gomes said. “If you have a difficult day or whatever, sometimes even on vacation, you say I can’t wait to get home. But I don’t have a home to go back to. So it’s really crazy.”
Gomes said management offered her a move to another property near Lake Eola in downtown Orlando for the remainder of her lease, but said that option does not work for her family.
“It’s just too far. Traffic is too crazy. I have a 10-year-old. All his life and school, sports, is zoned here. So I cannot do that,” she said.
Northland issued the following statement to News 6 on Thursday:
“Our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our residents. We recognize how disruptive and stressful the past week has been, and we understand the very real challenges residents are facing as they navigate temporary housing and uncertainty about next steps.
“Based on ongoing guidance from our engineering team, additional time is needed to complete a thorough and careful assessment of the building. This work is complex and must be done methodically to ensure we fully understand the conditions and determine the appropriate path forward. At this stage, we do not yet have a definitive timeline for when the investigation will be complete or when further details can be shared.
“Given this uncertainty, we have begun planning for next steps to support residents. We will be communicating directly with residents in the coming days with more information.
“We remain committed to working as quickly and responsibly as possible, and we will continue to keep residents informed as we learn more. We appreciate their patience and resilience during this difficult time.
“We understand a lawsuit has been filed. Northland does not comment on litigation.”
Gomes said staff have helped people get their belongings back, but said that is only what displaced residents should expect.
“It’s the bare minimum. It’s not like they’re overdoing anything. It’s just like common sense,” she said.
She also said she is not yet ready to assign blame before engineers finish their work and investigators release findings, but believes what happened must be closely examined.
“This is not normal. You don’t see this every day. So something wrong is going on and it has to be investigated,” Gomes said.
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