ORLANDO, Fla. – Hundreds of residents remain displaced after being forced out of The Rialto apartment complex, with many now scrambling to find housing while facing mounting financial and emotional stress.
Orange County officials evacuated the building on West Sand Lake Road in the Dr. Phillips area on Thursday after crews responded to a resident’s report of popping noises, found signs of structural instability, and fresh cracking through drywall.
Residents say the sudden displacement has left them searching for answers, with no clear timeline for when — or if — they will be able to return.
“It’s like I just got hit again,” said Angela Prather, a displaced resident.
Prather said the situation has added to an already difficult time in her life.
“It’s already been a very hard time for me. My son died a year ago, so it’s an additional stress,” she said.
In a statement, the property’s parent company said it is working to support residents during the displacement. The company says it is providing $1,000 per apartment to help cover expenses and waiving rent for the time residents are unable to stay in their units.
But several residents say that assistance may not be enough.
“That $1,000, I know ain’t going as far for families of four or five,” one resident said. “It’s very helpful, but the reality is that’s a few nights at a hotel.”
Others say they are still waiting for clarity from insurance providers.
“You’re jumping through all the hoops with everybody, it feels like everybody wants to get out of some sort of responsibility, we’re just kind of stuck,” another resident said.
Beyond financial concerns, mental health professionals say the displacement is taking a deeper toll.
“It is a financial impact, no doubt, but it is an emotional impact. It’s a traumatic impact,” said Dr. John Stiteler, a counselor working with affected residents. “This is a loss — loss of security, loss of community — and there’s going to be grief.”
Stiteler said his organization is offering free therapy services for the next three months to anyone impacted by the situation, including residents and their families.
“We’re going to offer free therapy, anybody who is impacted,” he said.
Stiteler’s group previously provided mental health services to victims, families, and first responders in the aftermath of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.
Residents say uncertainty remains one of their biggest concerns.
“We don’t know. All of us are kind of in limbo. There’s no end in sight,” Prather said.
Some say the lack of a timeline is making it difficult to plan their next steps.
“If we’re talking a couple of weeks, that’s manageable, but if this is going to be months, I don’t know what we’re going to do,” another resident said.
Businesses located beneath the apartment complex have also been impacted, with multiple storefronts closed off as the situation continues.
Engineers remain on site evaluating the building, according to the parent company, but officials have not said when residents may be able to return.