Wisconsin condo owners to appeal judge's decision to side with insurance company
Last December, residents of Horizon West Condominiums were given 15 minutes to evacuate their homes. The building, fire officials said, was at risk of an imminent collapse. Nearly a year later, former residents continue to pay for the unlivable, vacant condos, and their insurance claims have been denied.
In April, condo owners, under the name
"This case calls out for justice for the Horizon West Homeowners, and I will make every effort on their behalf," Ganzer said. The "losing side" would have appealed regardless of Adelman's decision, he added.
In the meantime, people who lived in the 48-unit
"Underlying damage to the property was caused by rusting that had been occurring for many years prior to the commencement of the policy period," Adelman said in his final remarks.
Former residents RJ and
The lawsuit's dismissal was "crushing," RJ said. "Filing bankruptcy is not even in my DNA," he said. "My parents would turn over in their grave. But, on the other hand, I'm not sure (what else to do) unless we win this lawsuit."
In addition to paying for debts of their abandoned condos and new living expenses, former residents are also faced with the cost of the city's order to demolish the building, which could amount to tens of thousands of dollars.
"The city is holding us hostage," said
Dreger and his husband,
"I lost my home,"
Public documents revealed that, in 2019, serious structural concerns became apparent, prompting the removal of the building's balconies. In the following years, inspections revealed deficiencies in the structure of the building, which led to last December's evacuation.
Horizon West Homeowners' lawsuit said that, because the building had not yet collapsed on its own, Travelers avoided payment. "Basically, Travelers believes reasonable safety precautions are insufficient to trigger coverage," the lawsuit said. "If that is Travelers position, it is unlawful and contrary to public policy thereby entitling these plaintiffs to coverage."
Although the building sits empty, former residents want people to remember that it was once beautiful and full of life.
"This is not what it looked like," said
"It was like living in a small village," Clasan said of her time living in her condo.
Former 30-year resident
"I don't know any other place that you could live – condo, apartment, houses, neighborhoods, or whatever – that people were as friendly as here and wanted to watch out for each other," Kennedy said.
While Adelman's ruling comes as a disappointment, the association doesn't intend on giving up.
"I invested so much in our building and our property," said
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Travelers has not yet responded to requests for an interview.
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