A letter was sent to Premier David Eby and the Ministry of Housing seeking solutions for the displaced residents of Kelowna's Hadgraft Wilson Place.
The low-income apartment saw residents move out on April 2 after neighbouring construction of the University of B.C. Okanagan's downtown Kelowna campus caused ground shifting and structural damage to the building.
Residents have continued to pay rent to Pathways Abilities Society, the building managers of Hadgraft Wilson Place, in exchange for temporary housing solutions. The tenants were first put up at various hotels in Kelowna before securing the new dorms at Okanagan College for the summer.
As of Aug. 15, tenants will be required to move out of the college dorms, but where they will end up from there is still in question.
A class action lawsuit was filed on May 3 in the B.C. Supreme Court on behalf of the residents of Hadgraft Wilson Place.
The letter, penned by counsel for the plaintiffs Polina H. Furtula on June 17, asked for "the government's assistance in securing housing for them, in light of this government's stated commitment to resolving the housing crisis."
The letter also stated that residents feel unheard, many of them fearing a life of homelessness if there is no response. "At least one resident has been hospitalized due to the stress of this situation, and one person has passed away," the letter concludes.
In a response to Black Press Media on the matter, Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon wrote, "The province and BC Housing are committed to doing everything we can to keep people safe and recognize that leaving your home behind in uncertainty is a stressful and disruptive experience. The safety of people is paramount to BC Housing and our partners, and we are thankful for the patience of tenants during this difficult time."
It was added that BC Housing is working with both Pathways and the City of Kelowna to find a more long-term solution.
Evacuated resident Sharon Bray was in tears when talking about the rental market in Kelowna.
Although she's grateful to have a roof over her head, the looming deadline of Aug. 15 is scary to think about.
"I've been homeless in the past... and this situation has been really, really hard on me," Bray said. "It's triggered a lot of the past. It's scary not knowing where you're going to be when you wake up in the morning. It's suffocating."
To make things more difficult, Bray's elderly cat wasn't able to handle the move of the evacuation and died. A friend gifted her a kitten shortly after to help keep spirits up.
Bray said some evacuees have already moved into other rentals, but many are left in empty rooms with their belongings still inside the Hadgraft Wilson Place apartments. She's been looking for something herself, but with a tight budget, an expensive rental market and the need for a pet-friendly place Bray has had no luck in finding something she can afford.
"I left probably three-quarters of my belongings behind, if not more," Bray said, noting that many sentimental items from her late fiance are still locked up in the evacuated apartment.
Bray was told that shoring needed to be completed before anyone could gain access to the building again, but the timeline kept getting delayed.
Bray said she feels left in the dark and it will add to her disappointment if the letter to the province is ignored.
"Remember we are all people," Bray stated when asked what she wants the community to know about the situation. "We believe that Kelowna still has a heart for our residents here."
However, on July 2, UBC Properties Trust announced it is offering financial aid to the residents of Hadgraft Wilson Place.
Each unit of the low-income apartments is eligible for $12,000.
“The lives of this group have been enormously impacted by the evacuation of their homes and the uncertainty that followed,” said Lesley Cormack, Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for UBC Okanagan in a press release. “We have been working hard with other stakeholders to be able to offer this support, and I am relieved it is on the way.”
The release also states that shoring is underway in the Hadgraft Wilson Place parkade, but it is too early to determine if the building can be reoccupied.
A copy of the notice from UBC, UBC Properties Investments and UBC Properties Trust to the residents of Hadgraft was obtained by Black Press, which outlined the following:
Should residents take the financial offer, the terms state:
"To be eligible to receive this Payment, you must:
b. acknowledge and agree that UBC Parties are making this Payment on a without prejudice basis, and without any admission of liability;
c. acknowledge and agree that if UBC Parties or any of them are held legally liable to pay you any monetary award as damages in either of the Proposed Class Actions or in any other litigation or dispute resolution process arising out of the Structural Concerns or Evacuation Order, that the Payment made to you will be deducted from any amount awarded to you."
Black Press has reached out to Furtula for comment on the offer.
