Birmingham police investigating condemned business housing veterans

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

Birmingham has condemned the Steps and Traditions housing facility for the second time this year.

Last week, officers responded to the death of a resident at the Warrior Road business, and uncovered a dozen veterans living in what they called deplorable conditions inside.“We are talking about mold covered pieces of filth on the floor that human beings were expected to lay their heads on,” One Roof Executive Director Michelle Farley said.Her homeless advocacy group was called to help find housing for those evacuated from the home last week.

She claims residents were being charged rent up to $700 to live there, without running water, six months after it was first condemned in February.

Follow us on social: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Vandetta Smith’s husband Rahn ran the home.

She claimed the rooms with mold and collapsing ceilings were abandoned.

She also claimed they were not charging every resident rent to stay there. “If they gave Rahn any money, it was probably to keep the lights on, that's about it,” Smith said.

Deep dive: WVTM 13 Investigates

Birmingham police Officer Truman Fitzgerald says they assigned a Special Victims Unit detective to the case.

“Were there elder abuse crimes being committed, was there fraud, was there thefts against those persons' income checks that come in monthly?” he said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed Friday that it canceled its contract with Steps and Traditions in February 2022, due to the conditions of the facility.

The Jefferson County Health Department said it suspended the facility’s permit a year later, once it learned residents were living without running water.

WVTM 13 On The Go: Download our app for free