A few days ago, Richard Coffey moved into his apartment in Salt Lake City, where he’d also work as a janitor for the complex.
The building was rough, he said, littered with trash, graffiti and broken windows, but he thought the brick facade, newer tile and exposed piping in units had potential if he could clean the place up and if someone did some remodeling.
But by Thursday all tenants have to be out, after the city fire department “red tagged” the Georgia Apartments complex because of heating systems and smoke alarms that don’t work, electrical wiring systems that are not up to standards and sprinkler pipes that are at risk of freezing due to numerous broken windows and doors.