A condemnation that left hundreds displaced is becoming a lesson in tenant power

More than six weeks after Kalamazoo Area Building Authority officials posted CONDEMNED tags on every unit at Wildwood Off Main in Kalamazoo Township, residents are turning their displacement into an organizing effort. They say the goal is to make sure no other renter in the area has to go through what they did.

Amber Johnson, a Wildwood tenant, announced plans for a 997-minute livestream — equal to the amount of money she said she is still owed from May's prorated rent. The broadcast will cover the condemnation timeline and share a tenant toolkit with the public.

"This condemnation would be for nothing if we did not learn from this and help other people in the community," Johnson said. "Because Wildwood is the first, but they are not the worst of the laughable property management in the area."

What led to the red tags

The Kalamazoo Area Building Authority condemned 292 units at Wildwood Off Main after inspectors found unsafe conditions in the stairways and landings. Residents say they received very short notice to evacuate upper units on the evening of Wednesday, May 28, 2026.

Property owner Peter Slaugh, founder of Denver-based OpenPath Investments, said the company purchased Wildwood Off Main four years ago and has invested close to $6 million in the property. He said roughly $1.1 million went toward woodwork, paint, and structural repairs.

"We did not realize the extent of the stair systems and the landings to the degree that we now are aware," Slaugh told News Channel 3 in an interview. "We were caught off guard with the sudden condemning and red-tagging of the entire property."

Slaugh said the company engaged its own engineers after the initial red tags. Once that examination confirmed the severity of the issues, he said the company moved to begin repairs.

Repairs approved, but timeline remains unclear

The Kalamazoo Area Building Authority approved permits on Friday for repairs to the decaying decks and staircases, according to News Channel 3 reporting. No definitive timeline has been given for when repairs will be complete.

Slaugh previously estimated the work would take nine to 12 months to finish. He said KABA agreed to allow temporary stairwell structures to be brought into the complex so residents could retrieve belongings while permanent repairs are made.

The repair plan requires all upper-floor units to be vacated first. Then temporary stairs would be installed. Then permanent repairs would begin. Slaugh said 12 to 18 ground-floor apartments could become available for displaced residents once second-floor units are clear and KABA removes red tags from first-floor units.

Township refuses to enforce evictions

Kalamazoo Township Supervisor David Combs announced that the township and county would not enforce any eviction or evacuation notices issued by management. Combs said management had called 911 the same evening as announcing upper-level evacuations, requesting police assistance to remove residents. The township refused the request.

"Fix the damn problem," Combs told News Channel 3. "This is not a complicated issue, this is very simple. I've been to the site myself, I've seen the issues with the stairs, this is a carpentry issue."

Combs also accused management of using "blatant bully tactics" and misrepresenting renters' rights.

What tenants are asking for

Residents have put together a list of demands. They include:

  • Prorated rent refunds for May
  • A guarantee of no June charges
  • Reimbursement for moving expenses
  • Complete repairs meeting KABA standards
  • Reasonable accommodations until all buildings are repaired

Slaugh confirmed the company is not charging rent for June. He said he would work on the prorated May refund but did not give a definitive answer. He said his team did not have a full answer yet on moving expenses or a comprehensive accommodation plan.

Displaced upper-floor residents were offered hotel stays covering roughly four to five days, through the weekend of the initial evacuation. When asked what happens after that window closes, Slaugh said the company was exploring options including extended hotel stays and contacting competing properties about available units.

Residents organize and document

Tenants have spent weeks attending county and township meetings. They have hosted an internal town hall and kept extensive records in a shared Google Drive. The records include timelines and resources for other renters.

"I still am wildly uneducated on how it all works, because it's complex," Johnson said. "How local governance, the township, the municipalities, the county, the state, all work together and don't work together."

Marcus Johnson, a former Wildwood resident, sent a written statement responding to corporate outreach. He praised community organizations that stepped up, including Ministry with Community, Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, United Way's 2-1-1 line, and Gryphon Place's 24/7 crisis line.

"I would hope these community resources understand that by offering their services, they are meeting the public relations needs of New Earth Residential and Open Path Investments, not the immediate needs of tenants," Marcus Johnson wrote.

He said if ownership refunded May rent, residents "would have more than enough funds to feed themselves."

The livestream

The 997-minute broadcast is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. and run until 3:37 a.m. Johnson said she will cover the current condemnation timeline and share a tenant toolkit. She also plans to discuss how the skills she uses in her work apply to helping the community.

"Once we're done with me, then we have to move to we," Johnson said. "That's where I want to equip the tenants to be able to hold the right people accountable at the right times, know how close they are to condemnation, and then also not be in fear of retaliation from their landlords."

Updates on repairs and tenant conditions will be provided as News Channel 3 learns more.