Apartment caretaker writes to incoming premier John Horgan about renoviction fears

    1 of 2 2 of 2

      A Victoria apartment caretaker wants the incoming premier to know that tenants in his building are worried about losing their homes.

      Today, Mark Fornataro wrote a letter to Premier-designate John Horgan and Victoria–Beacon Hill MLA Carole James congratulating them on forming a new government.

      The apartment caretaker noted that "this is a wonderful opportunity to bring in some long-needed progressive legislation".

      At the same time, Fornataro stated that his 25-unit apartment building at 1255 Grant Street is about to be sold to a company called Headwater Projects.

      Fornataro's letter alleged the company "renovicted" tenants from its property at 2626 Cook Street. (Headwater Projects told the Times Colonist that the entire building, including plumbing, needed to be redone, and that's why tenants were given eviction notices.)

      "Since then Headwater's vice president McGregor Wark told me his company will do things differently here, (and told me not to rent out any suites that become vacant) but given their track record in Victoria...tenants and I would prefer written re-assurance the company won't renovict/evict anyone here," Fornataro wrote in his letter to Horgan and James.

      Fornataro acknowledged that the City of Victoria has imposed a six-month moratorium on renovications, which expires in December. But he worries about what might happen after that.

      In addition, Fornataro cited a Times Colonist report that raised questions about the legal validity of the moratorium.

      He pointed out that with a vacancy rate of 0.5 percent in Victoria, he hopes that Horgan and James will impose a provincewide moratorium on renovictions.

      His letter also asks Horgan and James's government to "serve notice as soon as possible to companies such as Headwater, that tenants must be provided equally good, affordable accommodation in their current area, by the company if they plan to evict".

      "One of my tenants for example is a Walmart clerk and can't afford a large rent increase, the inevitable outcome of having to move [from] here," Fornataro wrote. "Finally, I hope you can press the federal government to declare in law that affordable housing is a right for all Canadians."

      In the recent provincial election campaign, the B.C. NDP promised fair treatment for tenants during renovations and demolitions.

      Last month, Fornataro received the following response from Victoria councillor Ben Isitt after raising concerns about tenants in the building:

      Comments