The situation with buildings in uninhabitable condition seems to have escalated at the public level after the unexpected evacuation from a house on Valdemāra Street, Rīga.
The building on Ventspils Street 25 is in an emergency state and the City Development Department of Rīga City Council, after its inspection, has recognized that the operation of the house should be discontinued immediately until the hazards are prevented.
If residents do not leave the building voluntarily, the municipality will have to evict them and limit access to the building.
Residents should leave the building on a voluntary basis until February 28, while the dangerous conditions of the building should be eliminated by June 30.
Until now, both the municipality and the manager of the building “Rīgas namu pārvaldnieksr” (RNP) have been in regular contact with residents in an attempt to find solutions to the building and prevent hazards, but apartment owners have been unable to agree on specific actions.
The building's condition quickly deteriorated when a barn was illegally demolished in the adjacent area of a neighboring house.
The building in question is a cultural monument, so all documentation related to the building should be coordinated with the National Heritage Board.
On September 20 last year, a general meeting of apartment owners took place to decide on the possibilities and solutions for maintenance, as well as the transfer of management rights. Only 5 out of 15 residential apartment owners arrived at the meeting, so no decisions were taken.
According to the RNP order, the building has undergone a technical survey which has identified the problems to be solved. The RNP has also commissioned a possible project for the renovation of the building, after which the residents will be able to take a decision on further action: demolition, conservation, or renovation of the building.
