Florida renters barred from boarding up as Irma nears

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Miami Beach deserted ahead of Irma's landfall

Restaurants, stores boarded up in preparation for the storm

Outraged home renters in Florida are complaining after their landlord prohibited them from boarding up windows in preparation for Hurricane Irma.

In a letter to renters in Colony Park, West Palm Beach, management barred anyone from boarding windows despite the threat of Hurricane Irma making landfall this weekend, WPTV reported.

"Understand that while we empathize with your need to protect your personal property, boarding up your residence is NOT something you are allowed to do," the letter reads.

The letter provides no explanation for the policy, but it advises the renters to move their personal property as far inside their homes as possible, away from doors and windows.

Storm and hurricane warnings have been issued for South Florida as Irma nears the state.

"People here are very scared," Del Vargas, a resident who received the letter, told WPTV. She claims her lease makes her responsible for looking after the property and preparing for storms, yet management won't let her board up.

She said each house has shutters locked away in closets under the stairwells.

“Previous years we’ve had property managers that have allowed the maintenance men to open up the doors and the tenants would go in and get the shutters that are underneath the steps over here and they supplied the bolts," she said.

But this year, she said, the management said no.

"When I asked her today, she said, 'Corporate said no, no shutters.' I’m like, 'Wait a second, the governor said make a plan, get it done," she added.

Other renters said they will ignore the requests by the management and will use the locked shutters. “It’s humans, people living here," Genesis Aldorado said.

“My child and her child and everybody’s child are more important than the rules of this community," Brittany Duarete said.