Owners of The Leland agree to pay $43,000 in unpaid DTE bills
Power will remain on at bankrupt apartment in Detroit
While confusion remains, the power at least will remain on at the downtown Detroit apartment The Leland. That's after the owners agreed to pay DTE an outstanding electric bill of more than $43,000. The complex remains in bankruptcy court.
(FOX 2) - While confusion continues to cloud the future of The Leland in downtown Detroit, there is at least some reprieve for the current tenants unsure of their status at the apartment complex.
DTE will not be turning the power off to the historic apartment after its landlords agreed to pay a massive electric bill it owes the utility.
The backstory:
About 40 tenants in one of Detroit's most historic buildings received a notice after Thanksgiving about orders to move out of The Leland.
The letter was sent after the owners said they had exhausted all other options. In the notice, residents were told they would have to be out by Dec. 3 because that was when DTE planned to shut off the power.
According to Detroit's law department, the city has been negotiating with the property's owners in bankruptcy court.
The owners missed a deadline to make emergency repairs, which initiated a public nuisance action.
Detroit apartment tenants forced to vacate units over failed payment to DTE
The owners of The Leland told tenants in a letter sent late November that it had exhausted all possible options and must now close the complex. DTE plans to shut off power to the building on Dec. 3.
Catching up:
On Tuesday, the owners agreed to pay DTE $43,000 to settle its unpaid debt over electrical bills.
The last-minute development comes a day before residents would have been required to leave the complex. The city of Detroit agreed to help assist those moving out with resources.
Paying the debt would require financing that's subject to the approval of the bankruptcy judge. A hearing was scheduled for Dec. 4 to resolve the case.
"The financing will pay the funds to DTE that are required to be paid by Thursday December 4 to continue power at the building for all the residents and to operate the Leland," according to a statement from Luis Ramierez, who represents Leland House Limited Partnership Company.
The Source: Updates from DTE and Leland landlords were cited for this story.