Many residents in the Herongate area are still scrambling for somewhere to go after their landlord handed them an eviction notice back in May.
The townhomes are owned by Timbercreek and run between Heron Road, Sandalwood Drive and Baycrest Drive. The townhouses are old and in drastic need of repair.
There are 150 townhomes set to be demolished – 105 units were occupied when eviction notice was given. There are on average five people in each unit- including very young children.
In a tight rental market, finding another home will be a challenge.
A lawyer counsel the Herongate Tenants Coalition says about 20% of resident are still looking for alternative living situation.
Hussein Geire says he found somewhere else to live – but will be paying about $300 dollars more a month in rent. “For me now because its 1600 plus heat and hydro.”
Geire says ‘Wish we had more time, maybe a year, perhaps spare us, but still you have to move.” He says “My kids born and grew up here.. Worked in General Hospital but still you have to move.”
Many residents are first generation Canadians and this is the only home they have known in Canada. Including the Al Jumaili’s “I feel sad because all my friends and neighborhood.. Everyone is moving far, I won’t see my friends for a while,” says 18-year-old Abdullah Aljmaili.
CTV News reached out to Timbercreek- they declined to comment.
The City of Ottawa sending this statement: “The subsidized households residing in the Herongate community have received this local priority status, and are being offered alternate subsidized units as suitable units become available both within the current subsidized housing stock and in the private market. Staff have been working to secure additional private market units for that impacted families that are suitable to replace those being lost as a result of the demolition. Currently, close to 100% of affected households have acquired new housing.”
The City also confirming “A demolition permit is not granted until all services to the building have been shut off and no residents remain”