Cedar Rapids apartment building deemed unfit for occupancy

CEDAR RAPIDS — Ten tenants were displaced this week when the Cedar Rapids Building Services Department placarded an apartment building due to multiple “violations that presented a serious life safety and public health risk,” according to a statement from city Code Enforcement Manager Greg M. Buelow.

The eight-unit apartment building at 86 Aossey Lane SW is owned by a company called EDE LLC. The Gazette was unable to reach anyone from the company Friday for comment.

City staff notified EDE and its tenants March 21 that the building would be placarded — meaning no one is allowed to live there because the city deems it unsafe — if the company did not fix the building’s malfunctioning sewer system and lack of water service.

The tenants were provided resources at that time for potential help with housing and legal needs, according to Buelow.

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“Code enforcement staff found evidence of sewer backup issues in multiple apartment units; identified a malfunctioning water heater vent; and found a lack of fire safety systems throughout, including smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms missing, lack of electricity in some units, missing plumbing fixtures, sanitation issues, and other code violations,” the statement reads.

The city placarded the building effective at noon Thursday.

The building had almost been closed multiple times in the past. A notice was sent on April 26, 2024, that the building would be placarded because of a lack of gas service, but the service was restored on April 30, 2024, so occupants weren’t displaced. On Jan. 15, another notice was sent because of a lack of water service, but water service was restored on Jan. 17.

On Aug. 30, 2024, the city filed a municipal infraction against EDE in which it asked for a civil penalty of $625 be imposed on each of four counts related to the Aossey Lane building, for a total of $2,500.

The four counts also asked that corrective action be taken to remedy four safety violations: illumination was needed along the path of travel from each exit; fire doors and smoke barrier doors were blocked, obstructed or otherwise inoperable; dry chemical and dry powder in cartridge or cylinder operate extinguishers was not being examined annually; and smoke alarms were not installed in all units.

The landlord was ordered to bring those violations into compliance by Feb. 7, but a status report filed by the city Feb. 11 showed that only two of the violations — the illumination in the path of travel and the smoke alarms — had been resolved.

Because the other violations were not resolved, the company has been ordered to appear for a show cause hearing on April 28, in order to avoid being charged with contempt of court.

Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com