EUCLID, Ohio — The City of Euclid condemned 26 of the 33 buildings at Parkside Gardens on 260th Street on Tuesday. Tenants said they had three days to find a new place.
“This isn't the perfect home by any means," said Kristen Hickman who has called Parkside Gardens home for the last five years, "but this was our home and it's gone.”
But now she is busy packing up all those years of memories.
On Wednesday, Hickman and others were busy packing up their lives and looking for a place to live after Euclid condemned her building and 25 others in the complex for numerous building and fire code violations.
“I got a notice last night at 6:45 p.m., it was an email, actually," said Hickman. "It was explaining that we needed to vacate by Friday, March, 7, no later than noon.”
Hickman said she is in crisis mode.
“What am I supposed to do? Like, how am I supposed to explain this to my kids? My 7-year-old asks me this morning, "If we're getting evicted, do I need to be worried?'" said Hickman.
Hickman told her daughter, "'No, baby, you don't have to be worried. You're safe. I promise it's just, right now the apartment's not safe.'"
Shea Short, a three-year tenant at Parkside Gardens, told News 5 she needs more time.
“I mean, how can you have somebody move out in three days when they don't have the deposit, they have nowhere to go, they have nowhere to live. I'm on fixed income," said Shea.
The city of Euclid released the following press release:
The City of Euclid is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all its residents.
After thorough inspections and evaluations, the City has determined that Parkside Gardens, a residential complex within our community, has failed to meet essential building and fire codes. Consequently, on March 4th, 2025, the City of Euclid took action to condemn 26 out of the 33 buildings within the complex due to these significant code violations and safety concerns.
The safety of our residents is of paramount importance. We cannot, in good conscience, allow individuals and families to reside in environments that pose potential risks to their health and safety. Our inspections revealed numerous violations that compromise the safety and habitability of many of the buildings at Parkside Gardens.
ROCO Parkside, LLC, the property owner, Chris Neilsen, of Trigild, the receiver appointed to manage the property, and Friedman Communities, the property management team, were both contacted by the City prior to the condemnation. The parties were made aware of the severity of the issues at Parkside Gardens, and the actions the City would be forced to take to protect our residents if improvements were not made immediately.
However, none of the above parties have followed up with the City about the condemnation notices, informed the City of a plan to address these serious violations, or shared with the City whether they will relocate tenants to the Parkside Gardens' buildings that have not been condemned.
Currently, the complex of 303 units is approximately 20% occupied. We recognize the impact that this action will have on each of these families, and the City is actively working to provide support and relocation assistance to ensure a smooth transition to safer housing alternatives.
We are collaborating with local housing authorities and community organizations to identify suitable housing alternatives that meet safety standards. Our goal is to ensure that all Euclid residents have access to safe, secure, and affordable housing.
We appreciate the patience and understanding of our community as we undertake this essential action to protect the well-being of our residents.
** No Interview Requests Will Be Granted At This Time **
News 5 reached out to the owners of Parkside Gardens at the leasing office and was given a number to call Friedman Real Estate. However, the company did not return my voicemails or emails.
“I feel like they just disregarded us as human beings and said, 'Okay, well, you don't need anything, you know, you can just continue paying your rent," Hickman said.
Hickman told News 5 she is waiting to hear back from an apartment complex on whether she will be given the go-ahead to move in.
“If this place falls through, I will either have to move in with family, if that's an option, or live in my car," said Hickman. "Like, that's not the ideal situation for anybody to be in. It's a situation that nobody deserves to be in.”
