Royal Oak Twp. Shutting Down Royal Inn, Leaving Hundreds Homeless

ROYAL OAK TOWNSHIP (WWJ) -- A local inn is shutting its doors and it means families will be left homeless.

Royal Oak Township is shutting down the Royal Inn on Eight Mile Road near Meyers Road because of violations of ordinances. It's not clear what ordinances were violated, but a sign taped to the window considered the inn to have "extreme dilapidation" and "lack of adequate light, air or sanitation facilities."

Police have also been called to the location in the past because of prostitution, drug dealings, assaults, and overdoses.

The closing of the building will result in hundreds of the Royal Inn's residents becoming homeless. That includes Leroy Majors, who said the inn isn't as bad as people believe.

"This is a safe place to stay," Majors told WWJ Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis. "It's not really that bad. Maybe it's not up to code but we all help each other fix stuff."

Residents became aware of the closing on Thursday by a notice tapped to the front window. Walter Robinson also lives at the inn with his wife, daughter and his new born grandchild. He has no idea where he will go now that his home is being condemned.

"Where do we go?" Robinson said. "We came here to prevent from being homeless."

Friday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Oakland County Health Department will be at the inn to assist people in finding places to live, as well as provide government assistance.

The building will officially close next Wednesday (Sept. 6) at 2 p.m., but residents will need to be out of the inn by 8 a.m. on Tuesday.