Merrillville police and firefighters responded Wednesday, June 7, 2023 to the Hickory Ridge Lake apartment complex after allegations of unsafe living conditions. They evacuated residents in two of the buildings, in the 5600 block of Hayes Street.
The lawsuit alleges “that companies related to the real estate financiers of the Chetrit Group defaulted on a nearly half-billion-dollar loan backed by Freddie Mac that financed a multitude of multifamily properties across the country, including several properties in Indiana containing nearly 1,500 units.
Hickory Ridge management’s “lack of cooperation” directly contributed to the closing of and displacement of 12 families from two of its buildings, according to the town of Merrillville, the Post-Tribune reported last year. Discarded cigarette butts were found in maintenance areas despite posted “No Smoking” signs, and rags and other trash were found near the boilers and water heaters.
Pillman then outlined the repairs the maintenance staff were required to make by the end of March 2023 and warned of the consequences if they didn’t.