Tenants and owners criticize Muscatine City officials over sudden East Second Street evacuations

Dozens of tenants and property owners asked the Muscatine City Council on June 23 for clearer communication and immediate assistance after abrupt building evacuations on East Second Street earlier this month.

At least seven buildings were posted as unsafe, speakers said, and many tenants learned of the mandatory evacuations on social media rather than directly from city staff. "That is a bald-faced lie," said An Mer, a downtown property owner who told the council notices contained incorrect addresses and said no structural engineer had inspected her buildings before doors were sealed. Samantha Kaufman, who said she lived at 229 East Second Street, told the council she learned the building needed immediate evacuation when she received a call from April Lindberg and later saw an official condemnation tag; Kaufman said police warned tenants they could be arrested if they did not leave and that three vulnerable tenants lacked transportation or resources to relocate on short notice.

"People found out they were being forced to leave their homes, businesses and investments through social media," said Jamie Hayen, summarizing speakers' complaints about confusion, rumors of demolition, and post-evacuation break-ins. Multiple speakers asked why inspections, notices and timestamps on posted letters were inconsistent and called for a coordinated plan to secure vacant properties and house displaced residents.

Mayor Brad Bark responded that safety drove the decision to evacuate. Bark told the council the city "entered the buildings with Mr. Maker and Mr. Chick" and that structural engineer recommendations prompted the process: the city received an engineer recommendation late on June 18, followed by additional opinions that led to a mandatory evacuation. Bark said the city tried to stage a "soft evacuation" while seeking second opinions, and that structured times will be scheduled for tenants to retrieve belongings to reduce the risk of burglaries and squatters.

Speakers described gaps between evacuation timing and available assistance: a Red Cross representative arrived about 7 p.m. on the first evening, and several tenants reported no immediate housing resources. Property owner Tom Mer said seven buildings being tagged represented more than $10,000 per month in lost rental income and left long-term tenants suddenly displaced.

Council members acknowledged the tension between immediate public-safety concerns and the need for clearer communications. Council Member Osborne said the priority was that "nobody got hurt" but asked what the city would do next to improve messaging and resources. Bark said the city is working with communications firm LS2 to post daily updates and said a press release and schedules for property access would be released the following week.

What happens next: the council held a closed session later in the evening to discuss litigation strategy. City staff said structured times will be provided for property access and the administration will continue outreach with social-service partners, though specific housing commitments and timelines were not finalized during the meeting.