Tenants have vacated the Bong Memorial Apartments in Poplar, but water issues on the site remain a source of contention.
Building owner John Graves of Lake Nebagamon shut off water to the former school in the Douglas County community on Sept. 12, a week after the village cut sewer service to the apartments for nonpayment. Graves said he shut off the water because of a leak.
The water shut-off at the apartments has left the village hall with no water. Although a number of businesses have water lines that run through the building, only the village hall’s water supply is directly linked to the apartments. Village Trustee Karen Nevin said having no water at the village hall constitutes a safety issue for employees and prevents it from being available for events such as weddings or baby showers. Bathroom facilities at the ballpark across the road, originally left open for the apartment tenants, remain open for village hall use.
The village, apartments and two businesses, Mother’s Kitchen and Poplar Hardware, are members of a special partnership, Poplar Waterworks LLP, because they use the same well and each of their water lines passes through the former school. At a meeting of the group Monday, it was decided to reroute the water lines so they no longer run through the school.
Everybody will have their own connections and shut-offs, Nevin said. The cost for the project will be split among the four partners and is expected to take place this fall.
No tenants remained in the Bong Memorial Apartments as of Wednesday, Nevin said. The apartments were tagged as unfit for human habitation by the Douglas County Health Department last week when standing water was found in the basement of the building. The source of the water was undetermined, according to Ken Zurian, environmental health specialist with the county. The building was tagged as uninhabitable because there is no access to sewer service and no way to eliminate any sewage. Water at the other Poplar businesses that have pipes running through the apartments was tested by Zurian and came back safe.
At this point, Zurian said, Graves cannot rent apartments at the site until the issue is corrected and inspected. That would include sanitizing the basement.
The building and individual apartments also carry red tags placed by the state declaring they may not be used. When the former school was turned into apartments, no permits were filed with the state. The building doesn’t meet current code requirements, according to Department of Safety and Professional Services spokeswoman Hannah Zillmer.
“Any building not up to codes is considered unsafe,” she said. The red signs have been put up every time a tenant vacates their apartment in response to an inspection conducted in 2013.
According to department records, Graves is in the process of filing for permits, but more information has been requested from the state.
Graves said media attention about the sewer shut-off has led to vandalism at the apartments because people think they are condemned. The landlord stressed they are not condemned, and he plans to begin work to bring the building up to code Oct. 1.
Former tenants of the apartments were left scrambling to find a place to live.
One mother and her two children are currently doubled up with another family as they search for a new home. Another tenant moved in with his parents.
People who were uprooted from the Bong Memorial Apartments may find assistance from the Northwest Wisconsin Community Services Agency. Chief executive officer Millie Rounsville said the agency has funds available to cover first month’s rent for displaced tenants.
To qualify, applicants must be able to document that they were living in the Bong Memorial Apartments. They must also meet income requirements and have a lease for their new location. Applications can be started over the phone. Call (715) 392-5127.
Displaced tenants can also contact Lynn Tracy, director of housing counseling at Catholic Community Services, at (715) 394-6617. Although the agency has no money available to help directly, Tracy can help put people in touch with sources that do. Catholic Community Services also provides housing counseling and helps tenants file complaints, work through evictions and understand their rights.
