RICHARDSON, Texas — Updated at 10:55 a.m. Tuesday:
After tornadoes ripped through parts of the Dallas area earlier this month, many have been trying to find a way to get their lives back to normal. Some people in North Dallas are just now getting the chance to take a step closer to that reality.
Residents at Cutter's Point Apartments in Richardson are going back inside their units for the first time since the catastrophic storm on Oct. 20. The management team hadn't allowed residents in due to what they say are safety reasons.
They were, however, allowing construction workers to go inside, one resident told WFAA.
Marie Rodriguez said managers told her construction workers could go inside to grab anything the residents needed. And as of Monday, there was no indication when Rodriguez and her neighbors would be allowed in.
But less than 24 hours after WFAA's story about some of these residents' concerns regarding access to their apartments, the management team has changed their policy.
They sent out an update to residents saying they could temporarily go inside their homes "for the purpose of removal of small items including clothing, medicine, etc."
Do you have a similar story or concern regarding the tornadoes? Send an email to news8@wfaa.com.
Original story:
Many around Dallas have been greatly impacted by the tornadoes that came through the area Oct. 20. There are still people waiting to get back inside where they live — including some who haven't stepped back inside their apartment units.
Cutter's Point is an apartment complex in Richardson that was hit by one of the tornadoes. Marie Rodriguez lives there, and she left before the tornado came through for safety reasons.
"We decided to just go for the night and stay at a hotel," Rodriguez said.
She said the impact to her place wasn't too bad, with only some damage to the roof above her closet. When she went back the next day, some security guards stopped her at the apartment's entrance.
"We were just like, 'Yeah, we live here," Rodriguez said. "'We just want to get in.' They were like, 'No, nobody is allowed to get in.'"
The leasing office told her it wasn't safe to go into the units yet.
"We just had to walk through the streets," Rodriguez said. "We were not allowed in the building at all."
Rodriguez said when she told managers she needed some medication inside, they told her some construction workers could go and grab it instead.
"If it's safe for him to go in, why is it not safe for me?" Rodriguez said in confusion.
She didn't feel comfortable having someone she knew nothing about in her apartment. As of Monday, she still hasn't been back inside yet and doesn't know when that will happen.
"Even if I have to be without my medicine, this just doesn't seem right," Rodriguez said.
Last Friday, Rodriguez received an email from her office, asking her to transfer or terminate her lease. She did so reluctantly, still without any of her belongings. The managers told her she would at some point be allowed back in, without a time frame.
"There's no real communication," Rodriguez said. "We just don't even know if our things are safe in there anymore."
BH Management owns Cutter's Point. The company released this statement on the situation:
"On October 20th, a tornado struck Cutter's Point Apartments and severely damaged our community. Currently, engineers are working to finalize their investigation into the structural integrity of our buildings.
Our primary concern is to ensure that our residents and staff are not subjected to hazardous conditions while accessing the property. Once our buildings are determined to be secure for entry, we will promptly communicate that information with all affected parties.
We empathize with all of those affected by the tornado, and we appreciate the continued patience of our community while we work through this difficult situation."
Rodriguez said she hopes that is sooner rather than later.
"I just want answers," Rodriguez said. "I want to be able to get my things as soon as possible."
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