Apr 8, 2026
Just before sunrise on March 19, residents of The Rialto (1) Apartments on West Sand Lake Road in Orlando were jolted awake by something they couldn’t see but could hear.
Around 4 a.m., 911 calls started pouring in as tenants reported doors that wouldn’t open and sharp popping sounds echoing through the building. Some residents were trapped inside, unsure of what was happening or how serious it might be.
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Within hours, those fears escalated. Officials from Orange County Government and Orange County Fire Rescue ordered an emergency evacuation, warning the five-story complex could be structurally unstable. More than 350 residents were forced out, many with little time to gather their belongings.
Lorraine Seid is among the residents now packing up alongside her son after Northerland Investment Corporation told tenants to find other places to live. Still, she said the outcome could have been far worse.
“We never thought this would happen, but hey, he’s safe,” she told WESH 2 News (2). “Everybody else is safe, so that’s good. We already have an apartment.”
The unexpected costs of displacement
Seid isn’t the only resident finding small moments of relief amid the upheaval. Arlina Aguirre, another tenant, was seen packing what she could into her car after securing a new place to stay.
“Right now, at least, I got my plant and some of my stuff,” Aguirre (2) said, adding that the rest of her things have already been packed and she’s waiting for them to be delivered.
At the time of the evacuation, nearly 93% of the units were occupied, and on-site businesses like Sage Dental and Orthodontics, StretchLab and Melt ‘n Dip were also forced to close.
Relocating comes with a growing list of expenses from securing new housing to covering the cost of moving. The average move is roughly $1,250, while long-distance relocations can climb to $4,000, according to SpareFoot (3). But the expenses don’t stop there. Temporary storage, hotel stays and special freight can push expenses even higher.
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Tenants were initially offered $1,000 to help with relocation, and Northerland also offered units at another property, but residents said those relocation checks bounced.
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Who’s responsible for the damage?
The 200-unit complex, built in 2014 and marketed as a luxury development with modern amenities, is now under scrutiny. A class-action (4) lawsuit filed by tenants alleges they signed leases under the assumption that the building was safe and up to code. They now believe the owner, Northland Rialto LLC, failed to meet those standards.
One resident, Leonidas Papakolos, has joined the class-action lawsuit on behalf of fellow tenants and says he’s still searching for answers.
“Somebody has to be held accountable. Structural damage like this, I mean, Surfside collapsed five years ago? It could easily happen again,” he (2) said.
Orange County’s Building Safety Division has called on the property’s management company to bring in a licensed engineer or architect to assess the building. Residents are barred from returning until that review is complete.
Photos released by officials show visible cracks and damage both inside units and along the exterior. Authorities say it’s still unclear what caused the damage, whether the cracks are related and the building’s overall structural integrity has not yet been determined.
“Once we receive the structural evaluation, we will have a better understanding if this was damage that developed slowly over time or if there was something that caused immediate movement in the structure,” Orange County’s Division of Building Safety said in a statement (1) to FOX 35.
What displaced renters can do next
WESH 2 Investigates examined recent activity at the property, including permits tied to the construction carried out over the past six months. Records show the work was completed and approved just two months before the evacuation, though the contractor has not responded to requests for comment.
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The building’s original developer, Wood Partners, said it sold the property in 2017 and is not involved, adding that the cause and extent of the damage remain under investigation.
For residents forced out, the financial impact can hit as hard as the evacuation itself. Renters may have some options, but acting quickly and keeping thorough records is key.
One of the first steps is reviewing your tenant insurance policy. Some plans include “loss of use” coverage, which can help cover temporary housing, meals and other unexpected costs if your unit becomes uninhabitable, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (5).
Coverage typically applies only to costs above your normal living expenses, and reimbursement often depends on keeping detailed receipts. If you’re unsure what’s covered, it’s worth contacting your insurer as soon as possible to clarify your benefits and avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs.
In the meantime, some short-term relief is beginning to take shape. Hotels (1), including Rosen Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando and Courtyard by Marriott Orlando, are offering discounted stays to displaced residents, according to Orange County Government, as residents wait for answers on when or if they’ll be able to return home.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
FOX 35 Orlando (1); WESH 2 News (2); SpareFoot (3); FOX 35 Orlando (4); National Association of Insurance Commissioners (5)
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Victoria Vesovski is a Toronto-based Staff Reporter at Moneywise, where she covers the intersection of personal finance, lifestyle and trending news. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, a postgraduate certificate in Publishing from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree in American Journalism from New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her work has been featured in publications including Apple News, Yahoo Finance, MSN Money, Her Campus Media and The Click.
