PEORIA, Ill. – He says it’s a development that doesn’t just impact people renting properties in the East Bluff managed by a Texas-based firm, but anyone who rents in Peoria from the company.
Third District City Council Member Tim Riggenbach says tenants of Darwin Homes who recently got not an eviction notice — but a notice to vacate the premises right after Christmas — now have a 30 day extension that’s been worked out.
“Our understanding is that…the owner of the properties has plans to do some renovation,” said Riggenbach. “They acquired these homes; that’s their operating procedure that they vacate them, do their work, then re-rent them into the marketplace.”
Riggenbach says making people move at the end of January isn’t much better than right after Christmas, but at least it’s something.
“We’ve got a list of the tenants who are being asked to leave, to vacate,” said Riggenbach. “Our plan is to have our Community Development team reach out to them. We know through other landlords who have reached out to us in the last five days, that there are properties out there to rent.”
Riggenbach says the city will try to connect the tenants with new landlords, though he’s not sure how that’s going to work at the moment.
Despite what has been previously reported in recent days, Riggenbach stresses the tenants were not evicted as is defined by law. They received notices to vacate the premises. He says while East Bluff residents were most vocal, there are tenants of Darwin Homes in other parts of Peoria that also were impacted.
WMBD News has been unable to contact Darwin Homes for comment.
