No Condo Occupancy Permit Leaves Residents Uncertain

The city government has rescinded the condo occupancy permit of a high-rise building. Now, residents of the building are unsure of what lies ahead as they wait for the damages to be fixed.

A Break in the Water Line

On the night of August 11, a water line break at the Royalton at River Oaks caused a huge mess on the first floor. The Houston Fire Department responded to the call and started evacuating residents at once.

The water had apparently led to the buckling of a portion of the main floor. It also caused structural damage to a wall.

In addition to evacuating residents, the condo also had its elevators shut down. Residents who left their homes were in such a rush that no one had a chance to take any personal belongings.

Later on, however, residents were given time to collect essential items from their units. The elevators of the 33-story high-rise remained inoperative, which meant that many residents had to take the stairs.

As a result of the mess, the City of Houston has pulled the building’s occupancy permit, displacing hundreds of residents for the time being. The condo can reapply for the permit once the building is compliant once more.

Inspectors and engineers sent by the city arrived at the condo building to assess its structural integrity. According to one resident, the entire process will take a minimum of 30 days. For now, residents have no way of getting to their things or their units.

The inspectors and engineers have yet to provide a full report.

In an email, the condo complex provided a statement to residents, saying it is unsure how long the evacuation will stay in place. However, the condo did also reveal that two remediation companies are working on the problem.