News

Actions

Waypoint tenants finally allowed to get belongings, find many items missing

Posted at 5:21 PM, Dec 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-06 17:45:59-05

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - What sounded like good news turned into another blow for former tenants of the Waypoint at Lynnhaven Apartment complex. Select residents were granted access to the complex to retrieve their belongings, but they quickly learned many of their possessions were thrown out or stolen.

"How am I going to replace, I lost all my diplomas, everything. I can't think of anything that is really valuable except a few pictures that I recovered today," explained Jeanine Fondu, who has lived in the complex for 16 years.

Fondu has been out of her home for months after Hurricane Matthew clean up lead to the discovery of asbestos inside several units. Today was the first day she was able to retrieve some of her belongings, but was disappointed to find her things outside under a tent.

"They took everything out of the apartment except for what they thought was salvageable they piled that outside."

According to a letter from the apartment complex, any items that may have been contaminated from asbestos have been thrown out and the remaining items removed, cleaned and placed in a storage unit. But according to Jeanine, she had several items that were not affected by asbestos and were still missing.

"My television on the wall was a brand-new one that I had gotten for my birthday," explained Fondu. "I also had a CD machine and a DVD machine as well as all kinds of DVDs and not one thing was left."

Tenants say they had hoped getting their belongings would make this several month struggle easier, but to many, it has only made things harder. They have until December 16 to retrieve their belongings. An attorney representing tenants in a potential lawsuit say they still plan to go forward if their demands aren't met.

Related:

Former Waypoint residents say they will sue before Christmas if landlord doesn’t ‘pay up’

Weapons, electronics, reported stolen from Waypoint at Lynnhaven homes