ABBEVILLE, KATC - After weeks of uncertainty and a temporary stay at the Sunbelt Lodge Motel in Abbeville, tenants from James A. Herod Apartments were able to return home Monday morning.
"I’m so glad to be going," Rodney Plowden, a tenant, said.
Plowden, who has called the Sunbelt Lodge Motel home since February 14, was among several tenants who were asked to leave their apartments due to safety violations. The issues at the James A. Herod Apartments, which include non-functional smoke detectors, fire extinguishers without current certification tags, and a sprinkler system that had not been checked in over a decade, left residents in limbo for weeks.
In early March, Plowden spoke about the challenges of the situation.
“I packed a suitcase, filled some clothes up. I mean, Ms. Penelope, we didn’t have any resources,” he said on March 6.
But after weeks of waiting, Plowden’s situation has changed. "I'm just grateful right now that we’re going back to the apartments and that everything is sufficient and proper," he said. While his original unit is still undergoing repairs, Plowden will temporarily move into another unit.
Back at his apartment complex, Plowden expressed relief. "Alright, we are back at my apartment, and hopefully everything will go all fine," he said.
When asked about how it feels to be returning, he said, "I’m excited to be home. I want to thank the Christian Service Center and the church for helping me. I’m just grateful to be back home. I feel more comfortable."
The fire marshal will return to inspect Plowden’s apartment, along with three others, on April 4. For now, Plowden is thankful to be back where he feels most at ease.
