Gaithersburg, MD---In working with a number of partners in the community the City of Gaithersburg has identified housing solutions for all residents displaced by last week’s thunderstorms. The majority of displaced residents were from the Flowers Apartments on South Frederick Avenue, a complex with its two buildings condemned due to storm damage.
The City has been securing payment to a local hotel to ensure the proper shelter and care of these residents. Now that housing solutions have been identified, the hotel will no longer be used to accommodate them as of check-out on Monday morning, August 23, 2010. Community donations are being sought to cover the hotel expenses secured by the City over the past week.
At least ten of the 18 households displaced by the storms will be returning to the Flowers complex over the weekend and in to early next week. The 12-unit Building A structure was condemned following the storm due to lack of utilities. “City staff has been working around the clock to coordinate the reestablishment of utility service,” said City Manager Angel L. Jones. “It was our goal to help these residents get back to some sort of normalcy as quickly as possible after their terrible ordeal. Pepco, WSSC and Washington Gas have been extremely responsive in expediting work orders and devoting resources to get the utilities restored. WSSC in particular responded within hours to restore water service after learning of the critical situation.”
Utility service was fully restored on Thursday, August 19, but move-in was delayed because damage was done to many doors when the Montgomery County Fire Department conducted search and rescue activities after the storm. The apartment complex owner is installing special locking mechanisms to ensure the immediate security of the tenants until replacement doors can be installed in the near future.
Building B, which sustained structural damage when an 80 foot tree demolished the building’s stairwell, remains uninhabitable and it is anticipated that it will be months before repairs can be made. Previous residents of Building A can return to their same units, while Building B tenants are being given the opportunity to move in to vacant apartments in Building A.
Staff from the City’s Planning and Code Administration and Community Services Division are helping displaced residents with their moves. Several individuals and organizations in the community are also assisting with manpower, moving trucks, monetary donations, and contributions of food, clothing, furniture, and other household items. Information on how to contribute to the assistance effort can be found on the City of Gaithersburg website at
www.gaithersburgmd.gov, or call 301-258-6395 x1.
