CRESTWOOD, Mo. – Forestview Apartments says it expects residents can stay in their units despite an order to vacate.

Darren Stolz was one of the residents given a month to vacate his apartment due to unsafe conditions.

"I'm going to probably move in with a relative for a while, while I'm looking for a new place. I haven't found one yet," he said.

As FOX 2 News reported, a judge ordered one building at Forestview Apartments to be vacated by Sept. 10 due to structural and electrical concerns among other problems that date back to September 2024. But Stolz says his property manager told him he does not actually have to move out.

"They tried telling me they're planning on having everything fixed by Sept. 12. I'm like, ‘You've had since September of last year. How would you get everything done in a month?’" Stolz said.

On Wednesday, FOX 2 reached out to the property owner, Pepper Pike. Forestview JV, LLC responded with no name attached to the statement. It said that it expects residents will be allowed to stay put while repairs are made on the building.

"Our company retains legal rights with respect to enforcement timelines, resident occupancy, and the scope of required compliance measures," the statement said.

But the city's legal team says unless a judge stays the order, that will not be allowed. So, Stolz says he will likely move out.

"It's still a hassle. It's still inconvenient. No one wants to do it," he said.

The City of Crestwood tells FOX 2 that Forestview is planning to appeal the order to vacate. Forestview claims the property faced little scrutiny for years until Pepper Pike took ownership.

"This Shift in treatment raises serious concerns regarding disparate application of code enforcement," it said in a written statement.

The City of Crestwood responded to that accusation, saying in part, "The City of Crestwood’s enforcement actions regarding Forest View Apartments are being taken out of serious concern for the health and safety of residents."

The city says that Forestview has approved permits for some critical work on the building, however those permits have been waiting for more than a month to be picked up. Other permits related to unsafe balconies have not been collected for more than a year.