Mass Evictions from Digby Towers/Sherbrooke Gardens

Well, we tenants are all somewhat “shell-shocked” at the moment having just received in our mail boxes our 60 day eviction notices due to massive repairs to the 2 buildings. We are under new management and had no idea this was in the works as we have been guaranteed that as the renovations progressed  and apts. were finished, we would be given first options as" in residence" tenants to the newly finished units.  We were even apologized to, in advance, for any inconvenience the renos may cause.  We have no legal recourse as the plumbing needs a complete overhaul and they must shut the systems down.  Fairview have clients living in Sherbrooke and there are 4 pensioners in Digby, what will they do now?  So, we are on the market for new places, I myself would like to stay in this area, I have excellent references,N/S, N/D,employed and have an old indoor fat cat! Does anyone know of a suite or something quiet in the area? I would appreciate any assistance and if you know of other medium priced units, I will pass that info on to my fellow tenants. Thank you :cry:

Sorry to hear of the displacement, so are they planning on turning these things into condos to capture the “boom” that mcsash says is fast approaching?

Way back in the time machine I used to live in the Tower, it wasn’t as scary a place as it seems to be today… though I suspect that the plumbing, carpeting and appliances are still the same… 

As for a place for you and your fellow tennants, don’t know much in your area, maybe the apts up PR Blvd that haven’t been turned into condos yet.

On the other side of town and not too far from downtown are a couple of buildings up by the hospital the Skyline and the ones down below them.

Skyline only has 1 bedroom and bachelors though and I’m not sure about pets (though there are plenty of feral cats to keep everyone company) rent is something like 545 for the 1 bedrooms I think, don’t know about the other buildings below.

They are at least quiet and well kept up as opposed to some of the other offerings around town, good luck in the search, if I hear of anything else I’ll post it here for you…

FYI…

[quote]Tenant’s compensation: section 49 notice
51  (1)  A tenant who receives a notice to end a tenancy under section 49 [landlord’s use of property] is entitled to receive from the landlord on or before the effective date of the landlord’s notice an amount that is the equivalent of one month’s rent payable under the tenancy agreement.

(1.1)  A tenant referred to in subsection (1) may withhold the amount authorized from the last month’s rent and, for the purposes of section 50 (2), that amount is deemed to have been paid to the landlord.

(1.2)  If a tenant referred to in subsection (1) gives notice under section 50 before withholding the amount referred to in that subsection, the landlord must refund that amount. [/quote]

Digby Towers… that used to be the Hospital right? I believe I was born there.

Damn!
Years ago when I was a poor student I was evicted from an apartment in Vancouver.  That is indeed stressful. 
Hang in there, codybear5! :smiley:

the hospital prior to the one on summit was on 5th ave east ( i was born in it)  it is where the townhouses are located (across from the seniors building)
before that maybe it was digby…(not sure of your age) could have been…but i know the one on 5th was in existance in the 60’s …

yeah thats the one i remember, i remember playing in the rubble piles when they were tearing it down, that was 1971 i think, maybe 72.

sounds about right…the new one was opened
i think the fall of 69 w/ Queen Elizabeth cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony
i was a whopping few months old but i remember seeing pics and plaques at
the PRRH

It was opened by the queen…may 10 1971.
Not that I’m a fan of the Queen and all of the countires and people that she has suppressed.

alrighty i stand corrected…shrug

Hmm. Well I could have sworn my mom told me I was born in the Digby Towers hospital and I was born in 1970.

Maybe you were born in the Digy Towers, but it wasn’t a hospital, you could be the infamous elevator baby of Digby fame. 

The place has sent a few folks to the hospital mind you from the days that I lived there.

  Thanks for the encouragement hitest!  Everyone is still pretty upset around here right now. Still “shell-shocked”, I guess, but will start looking tomorrow…Wish me luck :cry:

You’re very welcome!
Good luck with your apartment search, codybear5! :smile:

Holy spit can Batman…
I am telling you guys this is a major major blow to vacancy rates in PR.  I know of 10 people who have moved to town in the past 2 months and with those eveictions it will drive prices higher and higher,and make finding a place harder and harder.

My fellow HTMF ers …this economy is about to take off…notice the ground clearing next to PRG?  Land is only half cleared!!!  A 36, 000 sqft wharehouse will be started shortly.

RTI is now running 24/7… 200 longshore positions…nasty real estate prices…
You see…the first 2-3yrs post skeena this town was HARD hit.  We dealt with it, slightly recovered or stabilized…now the countdown is on for an economic resurgence.  If you cant see it yet,  then time to wake up.  These evictions are a result of the resurgence, like the PODUNKIAN suggested I just MAY be correct.

May every rupertite sit back and reap the benefits…

Sheesh, whatever medications you are currently on pls share with the rest of us… :wink:

I am a lucky person! I was one of the evictees from Digby and thanks to some Wonderful friends hooked up with a beautiful apartment today just down the street from me as I had wanted and for the same rent but in GREAT condition… I will finally have double glazed windows! I am still concerned however for the Fairview clients especially. I spoke to one of their workers today and they have no idea as to what they are going to do. It is very traumatic to relocate their clients and as far as I could tell with the rents I was quoted today, before I lucked out, they are going to have a problem finding suitable accomodations.If anyone knows of anything, please post and I will forward the info to Joe. It seems also that we are going to have to fight for the compensation owing to us, one months rent or whatever ,so as much as I have liked living here and it had been much better over the past 5 years the new owners and manager  can take their keys and stick them where the sun don’t shine and hopefully after all the tenants are safely relocated, the Tower will crumble and fall and even all the great??politicians and all the great??contractors won’t be able to put it back together again :imp: Do I sound bitter? Sorry…Thanks to all for the encouragement and keep your fingers crossed for those not as lucky as myself today…

This topic reminds me of the east side of vancouver as they were preparing for expo86. Many people living below the poverty level were displaced then and so it goes again. People on disability receive the princely sum of 375.00 per month for housing. (maybe, if it’s proven) That leaves about 400.00 a month to top up the rent, eat, buy toiletries, wash your clothes etc. I seem to remember reading about the billion or so that the government “Saved” this last budget. The funding is not being spent on the ones who need it most. This area called the North begins in Williams Lake and stretches up to the Yukon border and over to the Charlottes.  I remember not so long ago that the government dollars were approved for spending right here in Rupert. Now the people with the spending authority are so far away, they don’t see the face of the person they are denying food and shelter to. Nothing will happen until someone unfortunately dies and only long enough until something else grabs the headlines.

That is why it is so important to know your neighbour. There are many who do not have the ability to stand up for themselves. With all the housing that has disappeared for low income families (Elizabeth apts, bc housing, Kaein Island Coop) the streets will be filled.
Something needs to be done to stop the flow and have those housing subsidies work again.

Those men with disabilities in Sherbrooke have no families that I know of and I know their workers are concerned for them but without available housing, where do you think they can go? I think it is about time to all stand together and make a statement that is heard all the way to Victoria! There’s nothing to lose and it just may be heard by someone on their way to the legislature…

I am certainly with you in sofar as wanting to help, what exactly is it that you have in mind? You should probably start by getting in touch with our MP and informing them of the situation. They may have some ideas you havnt thought of yet, or have an ability to talk to those who can step in if needed. Does B.C. housing not offer apartments that the rent is based on the tenant’s ability to pay? They used to do that years ago, I am not sure if it is still done. If it is that would be a potential option for them, maybe steer them to their office and see whats available for citizens that are in that situation. I am willing to help some of them move if needed, I dont have a truck, I have a Rabbit but I think I can borrow one for an afternoon to move heavy stuff, then we can just do lots of small trips with the rabbit, it has a hatchback. Let me know if that is of any help.

Great news!! :sunglasses: