An 85-year-old Orion Township resident is still getting hit with roughly $770 a month in homeowners association charges for a condo that no longer exists, months after a November 2024 explosion reduced the building to rubble. On top of that, she is now paying about $2,000 a month in rent for a new place.
Her son, John Malm, says the math simply does not work for someone living on a fixed income and is urging the homeowners association to cut residents some slack ahead of an upcoming board meeting. The Keatington New Town building that housed her unit was leveled in the blast, and the family has not been able to return.
Paperwork Shows Residents Still on the Hook
Documents shared with reporters show that, for some Keatington units, a combination of regular homeowners association dues and special assessments added up to roughly $770 per month last year, as reported by ClickOnDetroit. Malm says his mother lost all of her possessions in the explosion and that “the financial burden is real” for an elderly resident on a fixed income.
He plans to submit a formal letter asking the board to temporarily suspend assessments for residents who cannot live in their units, arguing owners should not be billed as if their homes were still standing.
The Blast and Its Human Toll
The November 2024 explosion at the Keatington New Town complex leveled at least one building, caused extensive damage to others and displaced dozens of residents, according to The Associated Press. Officials at the time said two people were seriously injured, and investigators immediately began looking at a possible gas leak as the cause.
First responders and neighbors were praised for pulling residents to safety in the chaotic aftermath, a rare bright spot in a scene otherwise defined by mangled debris and stunned survivors.
Utility Response and Investigation
Consumers Energy described the incident as “very rare,” and local coverage reported that the utility noticed a pressure drop and that crews isolated a section of line after a reported rupture, according to WXYZ. At the same time, a Consumers Energy executive told reporters their system showed “no abnormalities,” a statement included in coverage by The Associated Press.
State and federal investigators have been involved in the probe, and the exact cause of the rupture remains under review, leaving residents waiting for answers while they juggle rent, mortgages and HOA assessments.
HOA Meeting and Rebuilding Timetable
Property management says it is coordinating with the homeowners association board and that construction on the damaged buildings is scheduled to begin this summer, according to ClickOnDetroit. Malm says he hopes the board will agree to suspend assessments for displaced owners at least until occupancy certificates are issued and people can move back in.
Until then, residents whose homes were destroyed or badly damaged are stuck covering housing costs elsewhere while they wait for decisions on assessments, permitting and rebuilding timelines.
Neighbors and Nonprofits Step In
In the days after the blast, local churches and charities quickly launched relief efforts, organizing shelters, donation drives and lists of trusted groups to assist displaced residents, as reported by CBS Detroit. Township officials also circulated resources and urged anyone with information or offers of help to work through official channels.
For older residents on fixed incomes, the lingering bills and slow path to rebuilding are a stark reminder that surviving the blast was only the beginning of a long, expensive recovery.
