Rosemont Court residents wonder, 'What is our fate?'

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- More than three years ago, 100 units at Rosemont Court in North Portland were shut down after Legionnaires' Disease in the water sickened more than a dozen and killed one person.

The water system still hasn't been replaced. The building sits empty. And the seniors who were displaced from their homes want answers.

"We want an answer," said Nancy Kincade, a former Rosemont Court resident. "Are you going to let us come home? Are you selling the building? Who are you selling it to? What is our fate?"

Kincade called Rosemont Court home for 14 years.

"It wasn't just a bunch of seniors, we were family," she told KOIN 6 News.

The seniors are spread out at different apartments, requiring rental assistance to get by.

Meanwhile, the Piedmont Neighborhood Association emphasizes the importance of making Rosemont available to low-income seniors again.

Betsy Radigan with the Piedmont Neighborhood Association is a longtime advocate for preserving Rosemont Court's affordability.

"They don't call it a property. They call it their home," Radigan said. "We want our neighbors back. They want to come back."

She said the building's owner, Northwest Housing Alternatives, has made several attempts to secure the money needed to replace the water system -- "and they have just met road block after road block after road block."

The PNA Chair, Don Robinson said the state turned down two requests for funding to make the repairs.

This past January, the City of Portland stepped in with $2.4 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds for renovation, specifically for fixing the plumbing and water system. But in February, the non-profit turned down the funds because they weren't able to secure the entire $7 million of renovation costs from any other entity.

"Five million dollars -- to return 99 units of affordable housing to this city's inventory," said Radigan. "We see it as returning 99 neighbors that we lost."

The vacancy is leaving a hole in their hearts.

KOIN 6 News reached out to the Northwest Housing Alternatives, Gov. Tina Kotek's office and Multnomah County officials, along with an inquiry into where the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department stands.

"Why doesn't somebody help us? Fix Rosemont so we can go home, like we were promised," Kincade, 73, said. "Rosemont was supposed to be our last stop."