After spending the better part of her 20s living in tents in secluded spots around St. Paul, Nichole Morris ventured back into stable housing in her 30s, first living on the city’s West Side and then moving in with a boyfriend two years ago at the Lowry Apartments in downtown St. Paul. The living situation was never ideal — roaches were a problem, and someone kicked in her door, destroying its lock. Neighboring residences on her floor also were burgled.

“People were constantly trying to come in my apartment who don’t live there,” said Morris, 39, on Tuesday.

When the city of St. Paul cleared tenants out of the Lowry in early December, Morris and others were assured by a community manager for a court-appointed building receiver that they’d be able to remain in emergency stay hotel rooms for a month. On Saturday, said Morris, the same woman who had given her those assurances returned with a written notice indicating her stay at the enVision Hotel in South St. Paul had come to an end, and that she and other former residents of the Lowry would have to relocate by Monday morning.

With some quick cash assistance from a relative, Morris rented a highway hotel room for a couple nights this week, and she’s received invitations from friends to stay with them. But that would mean abandoning her boyfriend and her 41-year-old brother, who has developmental issues. She said the three of them are more likely to buy a tent and a heater and return to the outdoors later this week, despite temperatures forecast to be in the teens and single digits.

“I’m not going to a shelter and being split up from my family again,” said Morris, on Tuesday afternoon. “It’s more dangerous being in a shelter than being on the street.”

Notices to find new housing

After having been relocated to hotel rooms three weeks ago, former residents of the Lowry Apartments at Fourth and Wabasha streets were issued written notice last weekend that their tenancies had been terminated and they would have to find new housing by Monday morning.

The news took some 70 former residents of the troubled Lowry Apartments by surprise, forcing them to come up with alternate living situations virtually overnight during a wintry holiday week. It also appears to have taken city and county officials off guard. Officials had scrambled to find temporary accommodations for the tenants after a burst water pipe, exposed electrical wiring and other utility issues led the city to clear the building on Dec. 9.

City officials had told media and tenants at the time that their stays in three hotels would be covered by a court-appointed building receiver for at least a month. That did not end up being the case.

“Anything else related to the Lowry and this weekend’s sudden move should be asked of Halverson and Blaiser Group,” said Jennifer Lor, a spokesperson for St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s office, in a written statement Tuesday. “As the court appointed receiver, they are the acting landlord and have the power to make final decisions for all residents and issues at the building.”

Emergency services

Calls to the Halverson and Blaiser Group were not returned on Monday and Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Ramsey County on Tuesday said Lowry tenants were referred to Catholic Charities’ downtown St. Paul Opportunity Center for services, and everyone who went was connected to a housing provider.

“A number of Lowry residents now have another place to stay,” said Casper Hill, a county spokesperson, in an email. “The county will continue to work alongside the city of St. Paul to support residents with resources during this difficult situation.”

Hill said any county resident seeking emergency supportive services is encouraged to call the county’s single point of entry contact number at 651-266-1050 for assistance.

Morris said despite the Lowry’s negative reputation, the tenants who have been displaced include longstanding renters who did their best to keep outsiders from getting into the building at night to deal drugs or rifle through their residences. Some were assaulted protecting their property.

“We’re not the ones who did anything wrong,” she said. “We don’t deserve our apartments taken from us. My rent was paid every single month, even in December, when I didn’t get to stay there.”

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