Flint-area charities are concerned that hundreds of people may be forced out of their apartments as the city tries to get commercial water customers to pay their delinquent bills.
Flint is under pressure from the state to get more of the city’s water customers up to date on their bills.
The city has put many commercial customers on notice that their water could be cut off soon. That includes large apartment complexes.
The United Way’s Jamie Gaskin says charities may have trouble finding enough places for displaced tenants to stay.
“If all these apartment complexes that are on this list went down at one time, I can’t see how we would have enough places to put people,” says Gaskin.
Gaskin says they may have to find apartments and hotel rooms outside of Flint for dozens of families and college students.
Flint Mayor Karen Weaver says it’s not the city’s goal to force people out of their homes.
“We have the tenants that have paid their rent, which includes the water,” says Weaver, “so the landlord has gotten that money but hasn’t passed it on to the city of Flint.”
Flint’s delinquent commercial customers have until the middle of November to pay up. After that, it will likely take several more weeks before any steps are taken to turn off the taps.
