‘I’ve been crying for my kids’: Monroe tenants could be illegally forced out again

MONROE, Wash. — Monroe tenants could be forced out for a second time after a burst pipe flooded their apartments.

The burst pipe happened on January 15 in both Buildings D and C at the River’s Edge Apartment complex.

The landlords, Indigo Real Estate, put the tenants up in a Best Western nearby, but that stay ends Friday at 10 a.m. Tenants told KIRO 7 they didn’t find out until Tuesday.

“We had 15-minute meetings yesterday,” explained Nicole. 

She lives at River’s Edge and talked with KIRO 7 the day after the pipes ruptured. 

“We were basically notified 48 hours before we are supposed to leave here with really no resources of where we’re supposed to go or what we’re supposed to do,” she said.

That was the frustration felt by over a dozen people in the Monroe Best Western conference room.

The hotel is full for the upcoming weekend and told residents they can’t stay Friday through Sunday, but they could come back Sunday when rooms open up again.

Tenants said the landlords already told them they wouldn’t pay after check-out Friday.

“The apartment has been paying what they told me was out of pocket because insurance isn’t covering any of this,” said William Sanders, who lives at River’s Edge. “It’s heartbreaking. I’ve been crying for myself. I’ve been crying for my kids, my wife, and I look at all of these other people. These people are disabled and they’ve been forced out of their homes, they’ve had to find places for their pets. It’s heartbreaking, it’s heartbreaking for all of us.”

The burst sprinkler pipes flooded about 30 units between two buildings. 

Tenants said Indigo Real Estate has given them two options, and both will end up with tenants paying.

“If we opt out of our lease, we still have to pay first and last and deposit to get into another place,” said Nicole. “Those of us that want to return home to our units, are not able to do that for 30 to 60 days but are told we are responsible to foot the bill until then. Honestly, I don’t know. I have no idea what we’re going to do.”

KIRO 7 talked with an attorney at Northwest Justice Project, who said tenants shouldn’t be shouldering that burden, especially since they’ve already paid their January rent.

“You can’t keep rent and then not provide somebody a place to live,” said Scott Crain with Northwest Justice Project. “So in this case just cutting them loose and saying you’re on your own is violating the landlord’s obligations under the law.”

KIRO 7 reached out to Indigo Real Estate for comment but didn’t hear back. 

Tenants said the manager at Best Western is helping them a lot and has linked them with a non-profit that may be able to pick up the payments on Sunday. Tenants also said it still doesn’t solve where they’re going to stay for the weekend.

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