Not safe to stay, nowhere to go Dilapidated, crime-ridden building under eviction order; tenants, owner, social agencies fear action will add to homeless crisis By: Tyler Searle Posted: 7:16 PM CDT Friday, Aug. 18, 2023

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This article was published 18/08/2023 (753 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg is moving to close a troubled apartment block that has long been a source of fires, violence and criminal activity — but its owners and social organizations are raising red flags, worried tenants will end up on the streets.

On Wednesday, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service served Karin Harper-Penner and her husband Patrick Penner with an order to vacate the Adanac Apartments at 737 Sargent Ave., following a failed fire-safety inspection.

“At the time of inspection, the building had no power to most suites and extensive fire code violations, including missing and non-functioning life safety equipment,” the order stated.

The inspection identified a series of concerns, including a dysfunctional fire alarm system, insufficient smoke alarms and limited access to extinguishers and fire escapes. Several suite doors were damaged and extension cords were found plugged into hallway receptacles and being “used to provide power to most suites due to no electrical power.”

WFPS ordered all suites to be vacated by 2 p.m. Monday.

The property must remain empty until the issues are corrected and the property undergoes inspections from the fire department and City of Winnipeg health and safety officials, WFPS said.

“There is a community there and (WFPS) is about to blow it to smithereens,” Harper-Penner said of the order. “If they go through with this, all these people are going to be on the streets.”

The property owner said roughly 38 registered tenants currently live in the building, but many others stay inside with friends.

She disputed the concerns identified during the inspection, stressing the deficiencies were partially the result of an Aug. 4 fire on the third floor that damaged the fire panel. Everything will be addressed before Monday’s deadline, she said.

Housing people with addictions or mental-health issues is challenging, she said. As a result, the building endures near-constant damage from unruly tenants who remove smoke detectors, hoard garbage in their suites and accidentally start fires.

“If they go through with this, all these people are going to be on the streets.”–Karin Harper-Penner

The property and Penner family are demonized by the public, who do not recognize the time, effort and money required to maintain the building, she said.

“Who else is going to do this?” she said.

Dallas Cadotte, who has lived in the apartment for nearly two years, said he is concerned for everybody living there.

“What will become of us?” he said. “It’s really important for us in the community to keep this building because where are we going to go? What are we going to do?”

Cadotte acknowledged the Adanac has issues with gangs, drugs and violence, but said many tenants have no alternative options.

“That’s a constant fight and a constant struggle for us in here.… Us tenants can’t go and fight against the gangs that are in this area. We just have to work along with them,” he said.

“We don’t really care what people think… we’ve just got to keep our chins up and keep going because we’re just people, too.”

WFPS data shows the building has generated 623 calls for service from firefighters and paramedics since 2018 — including 174 calls last year.

Year-to-date data was not available.

Two people were slain inside the building last year.

Daniel McIntyre Coun. Cindy Gilroy said the safety hazards supersede housing concerns.

“It has been an ongoing concern for me for quite a while,” she said.

“Even if they go and fix the fire alarms, and even if they go and deal with power to the building, there are still the issues of violence, and health and safety issues around hoarding.”–Coun. Cindy Gilroy

”I know there are a large amount of life-safety issues going on in that building. It’s not safe for the residents living there and it’s not safe for the residents living around that building.

“Even if they go and fix the fire alarms, and even if they go and deal with power to the building, there are still the issues of violence, and health and safety issues around hoarding.”

She called on the province to fund additional social resources.

“We need to have a co-ordinated effort with all levels of government on some of these issues. In these buildings we need 24-hour, wrap-around services to ensure the safety of residents and the neighbouring properties.”

The provincial government said it is aware of the closure and has been working with the city on the file.

“We recognize that many residents of the Adanac are vulnerable persons with complex needs, and we are leveraging our partnerships with community agencies to connect residents requesting assistance with resources needed to meet their immediate financial, housing, health and social needs,” a provincial spokesperson said.

Marion Willis, executive director of St. Boniface Street Links, said closing the building will create “a whole new level of crisis.”

“There will be an exodus from the Adanac to the river banks and bridges, where (former tenants) will build new encampments,” she said. “We constantly find ourselves starting over.”

Last year, Street Links co-ordinated housing for 18 people after the city dismantled an encampment near Maryland Street.

Ten of those tenants remain living in the Adanac, while six others were able to upgrade to more stable housing — something Willis called a “huge success story.”

She also called upon governments to boost funding for social services.

“Those who control the purse strings… seem to think once you have vulnerable people housed, that’s a job well done,” she said.

“But that’s when the work starts.”

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca