Agencies scramble to find housing for displaced residents, some motels turn people away

Rotting wooden beams support walk ways of Superior Creek Lodge.

By Evan Hoopfer September 12, 2015 4 min read

Photo Gallery

Agencies scramble to find housing for displaced residents, some motels turn people away

Stairs of a building in Superior Creek Lodge crumble.

Rotten wood being torn at Superior Creek Lodge.

All four buildings of Superior Creek Lodge were condemned by the city of East Ridge.

City officials investigate structural beams of a Superior Creek Lodge building.

The walkway of a building at Superior Creek Lodge warps.

A staircase crumbles at Superior Creek Lodge.

City officials measure a hole at Superior Creek Lodge.

Betsy Caster just wanted to take a shower.

She hadn’t taken one since she was forced to leave her room in Superior Creek Lodge on Thursday. Earlier that day, East Ridge officials condemned all four buildings of the extended-stay motel because structural deficiencies were a “danger to human life or safety,” the city said. Caster, her two grandchildren and a friend were among the 1,500 people and 300 families kicked out of their homes.

The East Ridge United Methodist Church took in several families, including Caster’s. They have their own room and the church feeds them. Grateful for everything the church has done, Caster wanted one more thing.

“I came in today and asked, ‘Is there any way I could take a shower?'” Caster said. “And they said, ‘Oh yeah.'”

She didn’t have soap or shampoo, so the church gave her some.