A Philadelphia homeowner has won a temporary court order stopping the demolition of her Germantown home, one day after part of the house collapsed.

Demolition crews arrived Thursday at the home on East Coulter Street and began work intended to make the property safe before tearing it down. At the same time, homeowner Diane Hardee was in court in Center City seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the demolition.

Hardee won the order, temporarily stopping the demolition and giving her five days to determine what comes next.

Emergency crews were also inside the house Thursday morning working to shore it up and prevent damage to neighboring homes.

Hardee has owned the home for 36 years and believes it can be repaired.

“Do you believe it can be repaired and be safe for you?” NBC10’s Aaron Baskerville asked.

“Yes, as many contractors as there are out here, yes, yes,” Hardee replied.

The situation has also raised concerns for people living next door.

“Obviously I’m super nervous that if they start to demolish her house is it going to cause any structural damage to ours? We just moved in here 4 years ago,” neighbor Ruby Gertz said.

Years of structural concerns

The problems date back to 2013, when the city demolished a home that once stood on what is now a vacant lot next to Hardee’s property. Hardee’s home developed issues over the years, including falling bricks and cracks in the structure.

According to a notice of violation issued in June 2025, inspectors determined Hardee’s home was unsafe and dangerous to life and required immediate repairs. Hardee was not ordered to leave the house at that time.

Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections returned about 10 days before the partial collapse and again determined the property was unsafe.

Hardee’s daughter said she ultimately decided her mother needed to leave.

“They never told her to get out of the house. I made her get out of the house,” she said. “Because I knew what was coming.”

Hardee’s daughter said she rushed her mother out of the house Wednesday, about 20 minutes before part of the home collapsed.

Hardee said she previously hired a contractor and an engineer to address problems at the property, but they took her money and did not finish the work.

“It’s hard to take care of a house when you are a single, disabled person, by yourself and you are reaching out for help, and you hear other people getting help, but you’re not getting it,” Hardee said.

Hardee is also concerned about her cat and belongings that remain inside the home.

A representative from the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation visited the property Thursday and took photos of the house. He believes the home can be saved and the necessary repairs can be made.

For now, Hardee is hoping the house she has owned for more than three decades can be preserved.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.