Evicted tenants return — to find little left in suites Furniture, fridges, stoves removed from College Avenue apartment By: Malak Abas Posted: 7:23 PM CDT Monday, Jul. 22, 2024

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This article was published 22/07/2024 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Residents suddenly booted out of their St. John’s neighbourhood apartment block 10 days ago were allowed to return over the weekend only to find their homes in disarray, at least one unit missing its refrigerator, stove and all of its furniture.

“It was really messed up,” said a 21-year-old woman who lived in the suite Monday, adding the cupboards had been emptied out, as well.

The three-storey building at 285 College Ave. changed ownership July 11. The next day, dozens of people living inside were evicted, having received no previous warning. The Free Press has been unable to speak with the new owner.

The resident, who did not want to be identified, has stayed “wherever (she) can be” since July 12, ending up at a homeless shelter.

Outreach workers from St. Boniface Street Links, including executive director Marion Willis, were onsite Monday afternoon, as were police, provincial residential tenancies branch staff and security personnel.

The province stepped in Friday with 24-hour security to allow people to get back inside.

Willis encouraged the woman not to move back into her suite, saying the building was in a state of chaos.

“I, quite frankly, don’t think this building is a safe place for anybody at this point… I would not be prepared to leave you by yourself in this building,” she said.

The tenant agreed and decided to return to a shelter.

Many tenants used the building as a first step out of homelessness and had received furniture and other items from non-profit organizations. Those items and other essentials for people who have no means to replace them have all been thrown away in recent days, Willis said.

“We have another person who just feels too traumatized to come back here,” she said. “We have other tenants that are a little bit concerned that they would only be coming back here to be evicted again.”

While the Free Press was at the apartment block Monday, police approached Willis and told her she would be receiving a $672 ticket for trespassing.

“It wasn’t safe prior… I haven’t been in there since the last time we got called here, which was constant, all the time, almost daily,” a police officer could be heard telling Willis after issuing the ticket.

Willis said she was not concerned about the ticket, but felt it was an attempt from the landlord to prevent her from helping residents legally entitled to re-enter their units.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been faced with something like this before… I’m horrified to know that the person who did this actually houses vulnerable people,” she said.

A provincial spokesperson said the residential tenancies branch had issued 32 “lockout orders” to the landlord and brought in a locksmith to re-key the locks on the suites and entryway.

“The province is aware that not all tenants may wish to return, but at least two tenants returned over the weekend to their suites and the province supported them in gaining access to their unit,” he said in an email.

What disciplinary action the landlord will receive, if any, is unclear.

“In this situation, the (residential tenancies branch) has a number of options available, but is still working through the investigation,” the spokesman said.

“Depending on the outcome of the investigations, these measures could include the imposition of further orders, administrative fines and prosecution for contraventions under the legislation.”

Some neighbours living in homes opposite the building were apprehensive about tenants returning.

The building sits directly next to a school and the street has become less safe in recent years, several neighbours told the Free Press. They cited the building as part of the reason.

One neighbour, who works in harm reduction, said she has seen the rate of crime peak at the apartment since the COVID-19 pandemic, and her eight children have had to witness violence and police raids regularly.

“My work was coming home with me,” she said. “I’ve literally had to revive a lot of people from overdosing in front of the building.”

Watching the province step in has made her wonder what will happen when the dust settles. She’s never seen anyone provide wraparound supports for the vulnerable people who live there and would like to see that change.

“Where were they when people were overdosing outside? Where were people when people were struggling with their addictions in this building? How come they weren’t helping them then?”

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca