Detroit Leland House tenants left in limbo, still without belongings
It's been nearly two months since residents at the historic Leland House building in Detroit were displaced.
The evacuation happened on Dec. 10, 2025, after an electrical failure cut the power and heat. Almost two months later, tenants are still locked out with their belongings in limbo.
"We're not anti-tenant. We want them to have their belongings. The issue is, how is that going to be accomplished? We want to do it in a safe and professional manner," said City of Detroit Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett.
Mallett says it comes down to tenant safety. The city's fire marshal has declared the building unsafe to enter.
In January, a judge granted a court order for the building owners to hire an outside moving company to pack up residents' belongings. Mallett says that some tenants gave permission, others did not.
"Let the professionals manage this process on behalf of the tenants. We will do so in a way that is as protective of their privacy as we can. But in this instance, the tenant's safety has to take priority," Mallett stated.
On Wednesday, an attorney with the Leland House Tenants Union requested a motion asking the court to reconsider by allowing residents to get their items themselves.
"I don't want a moving company packing up stuff in my home without me present. We argued that to the court, and the outcome was very positive. The court said look, I'm not going to grant you your motion yet, I'm going to adjourn it for three weeks, but I'm telling everyone right now, go sit down and talk. And the tenants now, via me, have a seat at that table," said Leland House Tenants Union attorney Patrick Foley.
Discussions will be held with the building owner, Detroit Tenants Union, with Foley as their attorney, DTE, and the city of Detroit.
"Saying ok what are we doing here? Are we going to get these tenants back in? Are you going to make the repairs? Are you still going to try and sell this building? What are you doing about the tenants' leasehold rights, and importantly, the tenants have some sort of say of how their property is gotten?" Foley questioned.
Mallett says that the city might put forward during talks is having a tenant representative on site during the move-out process with outside contractors.
He says the fire marshal will not, in any way, grant permission for residents to come back inside this building out of safety concerns.
Discussions will continue in court on Feb. 24. Meantime, residents are still living in temporary housing.
The Leland House building owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Nov. 3, 2025. The owners have since pushed to put the building up for auction in March. The judge has denied the motion, though Leland can re-file that request.