Dozens Of Miami Residents Forced Out Of Homes After Building Deemed Unsafe

Miami Towers is now vacant after 40 residents and three businesses were forced to pack up and move out. 

They had to evacuate the more-than-century-old building after it was deemed unlivable.

The City of Miami notified residents and businesses on Wednesday afternoon and gave everyone until noon on Thursday to move.

Miami Police Chief and Emergency Management Director Thomas Anderson said the evacuation was a last resort, but since the structure of the building was too dangerous, this was an emergency.

David Koutz said the past 24 hours have been hectic. He lived at Miami Towers for a year.

"You know, it's kind of hard not knowing where you're going to go or long how you're going to be gone," Koutz said.

On Wednesday morning, the city ordered an emergency evacuation. City leaders say a structural engineer presented significant issues with the building's pillars.

Anderson said cracked cement and major damage put public safety at risk. He said the 107-year-old building owned by the Miami Housing Authority has needed repairs for a long time, and concerns came to light this summer.

Residents and business owners only got 24 hours' notice to pack everything and leave.

For Koutz, it's brought up painful memories.

"It hurts. Kind of reminds me of the tornado over at Picher. Everybody was just leaving. They didn't know where they were going," Koutz said.

More than 30 volunteers from Grand Lake Mental Health and the Northeastern Oklahoma Council on Alcoholism helped carry furniture and clothing.

"I mean with that short of notice, it's been very stressful for a lot of people," said Jeff Harlim, Chief Clinical Officer for Grand Lake Mental Health.

Employees from Grand Lake Mental Health brought water and food and provided emotional support.

"We were just blessed to be able to do it," Harlim said.

Anderson said the plan is to renovate, but there's no timeline. He said people will be able to move back in, but that could take weeks or months. 

He's not sure where the businesses will go now, but the Housing Authority is providing temporary housing for residents at hotels and other complexes.

"It just said what a great community Miami has. Hopefully we'll get this done as soon as possible and get people back home," Anderson said.