The Notre Dame Law School Eviction Clinic reported that conditions at the Hoffman Hotel Apartments pose serious health and safety risks, following an investigation released Thursday.
The clinic found “serious issues for the health and well-being” of tenants, describing it as a building that “sits at the heart of the city in disrepair.”
“There is evidence” that common spaces have been used by non-residents “to use illegal drugs,” the report states, citing site visits and resident interviews.
Investigators also found signs of non-residents entering the building and sleeping in shared areas, raising security concerns. Photos included in the report show items consistent with drug use, mattresses in common areas and damaged doors that may allow unauthorized access.
The report details widespread structural deterioration, including “construction defects” and areas that “warrant massive, urgent repairs.”
In stairwells and common areas, investigators observed exposed wiring, debris, holes in walls and ceilings, and water damage. Some ceilings were partially collapsed, exposing pipes and infrastructure.
Living conditions were also described as unsanitary, with common areas “littered with trash,” and residents reporting waste and hazardous materials left for extended periods.
The clinic also cited persistent mold, malfunctioning laundry facilities and inconsistent heating. Tenants, responsible for their own utilities, reported high electricity costs due to inefficient systems, with some monthly bills reaching several hundred dollars.
Built in 1930 and later redeveloped into artist housing with public funding, the Hoffman Hotel Apartments once offered programs and resources for tenants. Residents said those programs have largely disappeared, along with consistent on-site management since around 2020.
In its conclusion, the clinic offered a heavy assessment: the building is “an inhabitable shell” that “cannot sustain any life at all.”
The Eviction Clinic said it hopes the report will prompt further investigation and meaningful action to address the conditions described by residents.
Logan Foster
Logan Foster founded Redress South Bend and reports on local government and public records in South Bend and St. Joseph County. He is 31 years old and is majoring in finance. He is a Cleveland sports fan and a longtime season ticket holder of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
