Mt. Clemens woman displaced by house explosion now living in apartment riddled with problems
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - All Joanie Dickerson wants for Christmas this year is a chance to celebrate the holiday.
But following a nightmare 2023 that included a house explosion that forced her from one home and an unfinished construction zone at another, she's not sure whether she'll get any respite before the new year.
"This has been one of the worst years for me in my entire life," she said.
Dickerson and her son were forced from their home back in May when an explosion blew apart a nearby home and damaging hers. That occurred at a Mount Clemens townhouse. Police suspect it was a marijuana grow operation may have been the cause.
She found a temporary apartment in Clinton Township, but it hasn't gotten any easier.
On Oct. 26, a week after she moved in, a leak at the residence kicked off a new chapter of obstacles for Dickerson.
"All of a sudden, water comes up out of the sink and was running all over the place," she said.
Maintenance was called and repairs started - but never finished. It's now been 42 days since Dickerson had a kitchen. She makes do with an air fryer and not much else.
So far, the pipes in the apartment have been replaced - but an entire wall separating Dickerson's apartment from the adjacent unit is gone. Only a plastic sheet separates the two units.
"You could say hi to the people in the other apartment because they were working over there," she said.
So far, no timeline has been offered for a total fix. She says the leasing office is waiting on an answer from corporate. She was offered a separate apartment by the complex, but she's disabled and can't go up and down stairs.
"I can’t move into an upper apartment. I can’t go up and down stairs, and they wanted me to move at my expense and I told them no," said Dickerson.
She also pays over $1,500 a month in rent.
"They gave me $450 - that’s it. I told them I need $50.51 from day one," she said.
Featured
Mt. Clemens condo explosion leaves nearby residents displaced 6 months later
Residents living near the site of a Mt. Clemens townhouse explosion are facing ongoing displacement, even six months later. Despite the condo owner submitting demolition bids to the insurance company, no progress has been made in tearing down the damaged property.
She also pays for the utilities like heat, something a thin curtain wall does little to keep the cold out from the vacant apartment next door. She still doesn't know when the work will be finished.
The leasing office also referred FOX 2 to corporate when we asked for a statement. We left messages, but did not hear back.
As for Dickerson, she's filed complaints with the township and attorney general's office.