PETERSBURG, Va. — More than 114 residents displaced by the shuttering of the Carriage House Apartments in Petersburg are now being housed in three hotels — two in Prince George County and one in Hopewell — after the city red-tagged the building as unsafe four days ago.
The next day, residents were told they had to move out until repairs were completed and the building was deemed safe by code enforcement.
Watch: Residents forced out after Petersburg deems Carriage House Apartments 'uninhabitable'
On Friday morning, the nonprofit Lending Helping Hands was among the first on the ground distributing supplies.
"We want to make sure every room gets a bag," said LaVerle Talley of Lending Helping Hands.
Kristan Greene, also with Lending Helping Hands, described what was inside.
"We have Orange Juice, we have Croissants, we have a Turkey Croissants, we have Potato Salad, Soda and they have Breakfast and Lunch in here," Greene said.
Among those forced to leave is Betty Frank, who is 80 years old and uses a wheelchair. She said she left with very little.
"I barely have any clothes here with me and they won't let you go back in to get anything," Frank said.
Frank also described challenges with accessibility at her temporary accommodations.
"Can't get my wheel chair in it. I have to hold on to the door and the tub to get in," Frank said.
Watch: Carriage House Apartments residents displaced after Petersburg red tags complex
Despite those difficulties, Frank expressed gratitude for the support she has received.
"I think that's a good plus, because it helps us out," Frank said.
Talley outlined additional assistance planned for Friday.
"At 12 o'clock, Bon Secour is coming out and serving lunch to all of the impacted residents from Carriage House. At 4 o'clock, Feed More is coming out and bringing bags and boxes of frozen items and stable items for the residents at the three facilities," Talley said.
The Petersburg NAACP is now working to coordinate all relief efforts into a single logistical plan. Pat Hines of the Petersburg NAACP stressed the importance of a long-term approach.
"It's very important we understand this may be for the long term. So we have got be very mindful about how the resources are being used and when and now, but we do appreciate the overwhelming support of the community," Hines said.
The City of Petersburg is also extending bus service to the hotels four times a day, six days a week. Darius Mason of Petersburg Area Transit explained what the service will provide.
"We're going to make sure that we provide assistance for those residents that need to get back to the City, back to Walmart Shopping and what not, so we've provided a shuttle for them," Mason said.
Peoples Advantage Credit Union purchased a plate, bowl, and cup for every resident now staying in the hotels to make it easier to use the donated food.'
Sources tell CBS 6 that Envolve, the company which owns Carriage House, is giving displaced residents $350 week on reloadable gift cards.
Those who want to help can donate to Lending Helping Hands via CashApp at $handslendinghelp. To reach NAACP coordinator Pat Hines, call 804-926-0495.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
