Residents reveal years of ignored concerns about the building’s maintenance before it partially collapsed.
Tenants of a historic Iowa building that partially collapsed recently are coming forward, claiming that their ongoing complaints about the building’s deteriorating condition were ignored for years. The six-story, 116-year-old structure in Davenport, which collapsed over the weekend, had residents who reported issues ranging from plumbing problems to lack of heating and air conditioning. Despite their repeated attempts to get the attention of the property management company, Village Property Management, their concerns were largely dismissed.
Schlaan Murray, a former resident, shared his frustrating experience living in the building. For a year, he dealt with a faulty toilet that wasn’t properly repaired and a complete lack of heating, particularly during the harsh Midwestern winters. He recounted that despite contacting management over 15 times, only minimal action was taken, including a space heater left at his door after one of his complaints.
Murray also revealed that many of his neighbors were facing similar issues, which led to conversations among tenants about their shared struggles. Yet, despite contacting management and the city of Davenport multiple times, no real solutions were offered.
After the collapse, which led to five unaccounted residents and two believed to still be trapped inside, Murray and others are left to question how and why their concerns were not taken seriously before the incident.
Village Property Management declined to address the complaints but issued a statement offering support to the affected tenants. The company’s brief message did not mention any specific plans to address the long-standing issues.
This incident has sparked outrage among former and current residents, as well as raised concerns about the effectiveness of tenant management and local government oversight, especially in older buildings.
