LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville renters who had their homes ruined by the Givaudan plant explosion are finishing the move-out process, but still looking for their next home.
It's been three weeks since the blast, and many of them who lived in town homes 50-feet from the blast have to meet Wednesday's deadline to get their belongings out for inspections.
WHAS11 saw crews in hardhats flying a drone over the wreckage on Tuesday.
The consulting firm called Engineering & Scientific Investigation (ESi), specializing in fire and explosion investigations, was working on site -- not far from the town homes that are now nearly vacant.
Givaudan has put many of these tenants up in hotels since the explosion. The company has extended their stays until at least Dec. 10, but some folks tell WHAS11 they really wish they could just go home.
Schempp Realty & Management, the property management company that oversees several of the town homes near the railroad tracks, posted letters on tenants' front doors letting them know about inspections over the next two days. The company offered tenants a $500 incentive to be moved out by Wednesday.
Brian Stocker with Property Management of Louisville manages a fourplex along Payne Street that was hit by a sheet of metal from the tank that exploded.
He talked to WHAS11 about the tough market for renters right now.
"If you're a renter, it's really difficult because there's not enough housing in Louisville to begin with," Stocker said. "As we know, rents are high right now. So, they are not only losing money and having to move twice, but they're also having to pay more rent, put up another security deposit, go through another application process. Just something that maybe [Givaudan] could financially help them [with] would be great."
WHAS11 also talked to Metro Councilman Andrew Owen, asking if he believes Givaudan has an adequate plan to help get folks into long-term housing.
"At the end of the day, I think they're going to be liable for a lot of costs. And the more they did early, the better as far as I was concerned. Honestly, I don't think the final determination will be made by the company. I think it'll be made by the courts, and that will be when this will end," Owen said.
With two lawsuits already filed, he thinks the final answers will come from within the court system.
Givaudan has set up three more days of office hours to answer questions: Dec. 4, Dec. 11, Dec. 18 all from 4-6 p.m. at The United Crescent Hill Ministries building. Neighbors are asked to bring ID or any proof of address.
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