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Roof, ceiling damage forcing residents at Stockton apartment complex out

The 40-year-old roof was hammered by heavy rain and hail Sunday.

STOCKTON, Calif. — Julie Vang, her husband and two young sons are packing up and moving out.

"It's very tragic. It's something we don't expect," Vang said.

She's lived at Meadow Green apartments in North Stockton for three years. But her living room ceiling crashed to the floor Monday around 1:30 a.m. Sunday afternoon's freak rain and hailstorm had saturated the roof top and water forced its way in.

In the past two days, City of Stockton code inspectors have tagged 55 apartments, as of this writing, with "Notice to Vacate" warnings on doors saying the building is "hazardous" or "unsafe" to live. There are 94 units total.

Those residents are being told to vacate immediately. Vang and her family are staying with relatives.

"It's sad. Some families are in motels," Vang said. "Like my neighbor here -- they're in motels. They have nowhere to go. What are we supposed to do?"

Some residents expressed frustration at first learning they had to pack up and go when they saw the "Notice to Vacate" signs on their doors. 

"They haven't really told us anything. We've been trying to talk to management," said Michael Culbert, a resident who's lived at the complex for eight years and now has to leave. "They say they're going to fix it. We don't know what we're going to do now." 

Christina Micciche is a Woodland Hills representative for the owner Golden Opportunity INVS LP. She said those who have to leave will get their deposits and pro-rated rents back.

RELATED: 'I felt like the car was almost floating' | Heavy rain floods Stockton neighborhoods

"We're sending them to other properties where we have vacancies and also the Red Cross is involved," Micciche said. 

Micciche said the roof was installed with no plywood or tar paper. She said her company purchased the property just three months ago.

The building, constructed in 1982, still has its original roof, according to Connie Cochran, City of Stockton spokesperson.  

Cochran said the city has not received any complaints about the building other than one about garbage. 

Under the City of Stockton's Self-Certification Program, an owner can submit their own inspection of their rental property under penalty of perjury, or the city will inspect the property every five years.

A self-certification inspection was last submitted and accepted in 2016 for Meadow Green, according to city records.

Micchiche said she currently has no time frame for when the roof repairs will be completed. 

WATCH MORE: Stockton storm leaves city streets flooded, covered in hail

 

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