TEMPERATURE WISE, WE’RE GOING TO BE RIGHT AROUND 60 OUT THE DOOR TOMORROW MORNING. GUYS. BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT TONY. THANK YOU. WE’RE COMING TO THE END OF THE FIFTH DAY IN WHICH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE RIALTO APARTMENTS ARE STILL OUT OF THEIR HOMES OVER SAFETY CONCERNS. NOW, THE RIALTO IS RIGHT ON SAND LAKE ROAD. IT’S IN THE DOCTOR PHILLIPS AREA. AND TODAY RESIDENTS WERE ACTUALLY SEEN COLLECTING SOME OF THEIR VALUABLES. WESH TWO GREG FOX IS LIVE AT THAT BUILDING THIS AFTERNOON. AND GREG YOU’RE HEARING NOW THAT SOME OF THOSE RESIDENTS MIGHT BE GETTING FINANCIAL RELIEF. THAT’S RIGHT. SOME OF THEM FOUND OUT FROM MANAGEMENT. SOME OF THEM FOUND OUT FROM US. THIS IS WHERE THEY’VE BEEN COMING IN TODAY TO COLLECT IN BOXES, AND SOME OF THEM ON HANGERS, SOME OF THEIR CLOTHING AND OTHER VALUABLES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT DOWN BY MANAGEMENT BECAUSE THEY’RE STILL NOT ALLOWED INSIDE. BUT OF COURSE, THEY’RE HOPING THAT AN INSPECTION TEAM GETS THE ALL CLEAR FOR THEM TO SAY THE BUILDING IS SAFE TO OCCUPY. MONDAY SAW THE MOST ACTIVITY IN FRONT OF THE RIALTO SINCE AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING. RESIDENTS COLLECTED ITEMS BROUGHT DOWN FROM THEIR UNITS AND LOADED THEIR VEHICLES, NOT KNOWING WHEN OR IF THEY’D BE BACK. ALL MY MASKS HAVE ALL THESE BAGS AND THEN I HAVE A BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY FOR MY SON, WHICH I COULDN’T CANCEL. ANA GOMEZ AND HER SON ARE LIVING WITH A FRIEND BECAUSE HER RENTERS INSURANCE WON’T COVER EXPENSES. SHE WENT TO THE OFFICE WHEN WE TOLD HER THE OWNER, NORTHLAND INVESTMENT CORPORATION OF BOSTON, WAS PROVIDING MONEY AND RENT RELIEF. IN A STATEMENT TO WESH 2 NEWS, NORTHLAND SAID TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS DURING THIS TIME, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED TWO MEASURES. WE ARE PROVIDING $1,000 PER APARTMENT TO HELP COVER ADDITIONAL EXPENSES AND RESIDENTS WILL NOT BE CHARGED RENT FOR ANY DAYS. THEY ARE UNABLE TO OCCUPY THEIR APARTMENTS. AND IN AN EMAIL TO TENANTS, MANAGEMENT SAID WE ANTICIPATE THAT $1,000 PAYMENT FOR EACH APARTMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP TUESDAY AFTER 1 P.M. ADDITIONAL DETAILS, INCLUDING PICKUP, LOCATION AND PROCESS, WILL BE SHARED ONCE FINALIZED. IS THAT ENOUGH MONEY FOR ALL THE INCONVENIENCE AND EVERYTHING? WE DON’T. WE’RE HOMELESS. WE DON’T HAVE A PLACE TO BE. ECHOING THOSE THOUGHTS ARE LOGAN AND JAN AND CORNELL WHO SAY THEY’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE TEMPORARY RENT RELIEF AND THE FINANCIAL BOOST, BUT SAY IT DOESN’T GO FAR ENOUGH. IT HELPS. IT JUST ALSO DOESN’T NECESSARILY GET YOU THROUGH THE COMBINATION OF A HOTEL PLUS SPRING BREAK OUT HERE. WE ALL KNOW IT’S PRETTY EXPENSIVE RIGHT NOW. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EVACUATED ALL 200 UNITS THURSDAY, SENDING 350 RESIDENTS PACKING FOLLOWING A 911 CALL FROM A WOMAN WHO SAID SHE COULDN’T OPEN HER DOOR WHEN FIREFIGHTERS RESCUED HER. THEY ALERTED BUILDING SAFETY TO CRACKS IN THE WALLS. UNDERSTAND THE LEVELS OF COVERAGE PROVIDED AND IF THERE ARE ANY EXCLUSIONS. MARK FRIEDLAND, OF THE INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE, URGES RENTERS TO READ THEIR INSURANCE POLICIES AND KNOW WHAT YOU’RE PAYING FOR, INCLUDING WHETHER YOU’RE LIVING AND MEAL EXPENSES ARE COVERED. MAKE SURE YOU OWN YOUR RISK, MEANING YOU HAVE ADEQUATE FINANCIAL PROTECTION THROUGH INSURANCE TO COVER LOSSES. AND WE ARE LIVE NOW AGAIN AND TAKE A LOOK. STILL, THE YELLOW TAPE IN FRONT OF ALL THE DOOR HANDLES ALONG THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE IN THE FRONT AND GROUND FLOOR OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING OF THE RIALTO. THE THE ORANGE THEORY, THE SPA, THE FEDEX STORE, A RESTAURANT DOWN THERE. THEY’RE ALL STILL CLOSED. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SHOWING UP ALL DAY WONDERING WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON. AND NOW, OF COURSE, THEY’RE TUNED IN MORE ABOUT THE SITUATION HERE. WE’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE GET A REPORT FROM ORANGE COUNTY BUILDING SAFETY ABOUT THE OCCUPANCY HERE
Residents get some financial relief from The Rialto Apartments owner
Updated: 8:52 PM EDT Mar 23, 2026
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Monday saw the most activity in front of The Rialto Apartments building since an emergency evacuation four days earlier. Residents collected items brought down from their units and loaded their vehicles, not knowing when or if they would be back. Ana Gomes and her son are living with a friend because her renters’ insurance won’t cover expenses. Gomes went to the office when WESH 2 News told her that the owner, Northland Investment Corporation of Boston, was providing money and rent relief. In a statement to WESH 2 News, Northland spokesperson Tori Faieta said, “To support residents during this time, we have implemented two measures: we are providing $1,000 per apartment to help cover additional expenses, and residents will not be charged rent for any days they are unable to occupy their apartments.”And in an email to tenants, management told them, “We anticipate that $1,000 payments for each apartment will be available for pickup Tuesday after 1 p.m. Additional details, including pickup location and process, will be shared once finalized.” Gomes told WESH 2 News that it is not nearly enough money to cover expenses, adding, “No. For all of the inconvenience, I mean, we’re homeless. We don’t have a place to be.” Echoing those thoughts are Logan and Jannon Cornell, who say they’re grateful for the temporary rent relief and the financial boost, but say it doesn’t go far enough, with Jannon adding, “It helps, but it doesn’t necessarily get you through the combination of hotels and spring break going on out here. We all know that’s very expensive right now.” The fire department evacuated all 200 units on Thursday, sending 350 residents packing, following a 911 call from a woman who said she couldn’t open her door. When firefighters rescued her, they alerted building safety to cracks in the walls. The evacuation is a wake-up call for all apartment dwellers, said Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute.“Understand the level of coverage provided and if there are any exclusions,” Friedlander said. Friedlander also urges renters to read their insurance policies and know what they’re paying for, including whether their living and meal expenses are covered. “Make sure you own your risk, meaning you have adequate financial protection through your insurance to cover losses,” Friedlander said. Orange County said Monday it had not received any notification from Northland that an inspection report on the building was available to review.
Monday saw the most activity in front of The Rialto Apartments building since an emergency evacuation four days earlier.
Residents collected items brought down from their units and loaded their vehicles, not knowing when or if they would be back.
Ana Gomes and her son are living with a friend because her renters’ insurance won’t cover expenses.
Gomes went to the office when WESH 2 News told her that the owner, Northland Investment Corporation of Boston, was providing money and rent relief.
In a statement to WESH 2 News, Northland spokesperson Tori Faieta said, “To support residents during this time, we have implemented two measures: we are providing $1,000 per apartment to help cover additional expenses, and residents will not be charged rent for any days they are unable to occupy their apartments.”
And in an email to tenants, management told them, “We anticipate that $1,000 payments for each apartment will be available for pickup Tuesday after 1 p.m. Additional details, including pickup location and process, will be shared once finalized.”
Gomes told WESH 2 News that it is not nearly enough money to cover expenses, adding, “No. For all of the inconvenience, I mean, we’re homeless. We don’t have a place to be.”
Echoing those thoughts are Logan and Jannon Cornell, who say they’re grateful for the temporary rent relief and the financial boost, but say it doesn’t go far enough, with Jannon adding, “It helps, but it doesn’t necessarily get you through the combination of hotels and spring break going on out here. We all know that’s very expensive right now.”
The fire department evacuated all 200 units on Thursday, sending 350 residents packing, following a 911 call from a woman who said she couldn’t open her door. When firefighters rescued her, they alerted building safety to cracks in the walls.
The evacuation is a wake-up call for all apartment dwellers, said Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute.
“Understand the level of coverage provided and if there are any exclusions,” Friedlander said.
Friedlander also urges renters to read their insurance policies and know what they’re paying for, including whether their living and meal expenses are covered.
“Make sure you own your risk, meaning you have adequate financial protection through your insurance to cover losses,” Friedlander said.
Orange County said Monday it had not received any notification from Northland that an inspection report on the building was available to review.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.