Residents at Oak Lane Apartments at 400 E. Main St, Hopkins have faced numerous boil advisories, dirty water, and extended chlorination treatments with little support from landlords for over a year, and a long-term solution continues to be delayed while they currently endure a month-long boil advisory.
Residents living there report that there have been issues with boil advisories and no aid with providing alternative clean water for years. The worst of it began a year ago and has been a recurring issue, particularly with 2026’s planned power shut-offs from
Consumers Energy and power outages due to weather. Most recently, water test results required another boil advisory that has now lasted almost 1 month.
Residents are calling for the landlords to follow through with the recommended solution of new wells being dug to solve many of the issues and for generators to go with them so power outages are no longer an issue for the water supply.
Hopkins United Methodist Church has partnered with those standing up for their neighbors to assist and protect them as they share the immediate need for more bottled water and advocate for the long-term solutions they need with those who are able to hold the management group accountable. Part of that effort has included hosting the collection of water after management denied them permission to collect water on apartment property.
Quotes from residents of Oak Lane:
● “The entire time I have lived at Oak Lane Apartments there have been issues with the water. It is a burden that continues to hurt me financially and affects my mental health. Even when we aren’t under a water-boil advisory I do not use the water for cooking because it leaves a residue. We need a permanent solution.”
● “I have been living here for over a decade and have never been able to use the water without getting sick. It’s like we are living in a third world country where water is often unsafe to drink.”
● “Without official amounts from [the water treatment company] I would say that out of the last 6 months we have spent approximately 2 1⁄2 – 3 months in different water boil advisories.”
Oak Lane Apartments is a 24 unit multi-family residence on the East end of Main Street in the Village of Hopkins. The property is owned and managed by Gardner Group of Michigan. These apartments are the largest offering of low-income housing in the Village of Hopkins, receiving government assistance for some residents and offering “rent based on income.”
