They know itB次元官网网址檚 for the better, but the remaining nine tenants in the soon-to-be demolished Townley Lodge at 1780 Townley St. want to stay to the end.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been offered a place, but IB次元官网网址檓 just moving to another Greater Victoria Housing Society, itB次元官网网址檚 the same thing, why do I want to hurry,?B次元官网网址� said Guy Moyls, whoB次元官网网址檚 been at Townley for 7.5 years.
Plans at Townley call for a new 54-unit, three-storey apartment building for older adults and 10 family townhouses to replace the tired 39-unit building thatB次元官网网址檚 been in the Camosun neighbourhood since 1967.
Short term tenants have until Sept. 30 to move out, while others have until the end of the year. Moyls is paying rent on two suites this month, including his new place in Esquimalt, but with two ruptured discs in his back, heB次元官网网址檚 waiting for help to move.
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B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to have to leave a couple of my bigger [furniture] items here,B次元官网网址� Moyls said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not the best situation, itB次元官网网址檚 just that everythingB次元官网网址檚 so expensive, thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing under $900 on the [open market],B次元官网网址� Moyls said.
Long time Townley resident Jim Ross had also been offered a home by GVHS yet is reluctant to take it despite his impending move out date.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a tough time for people here, most are gone but some of us havenB次元官网网址檛 left yet,B次元官网网址� Ross said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e faced with an unaffordable housing market. I pay $300 per month as a pensioner for a bachelor suite. Only a couple of us work, the rest are on disability or are pensioners, and all our rents are under $500.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 all want to go back into another Victoria Housing place,B次元官网网址� said Kaia Howe, who recently moved into Townley on a short-term rental knowing the building is coming down.
In 2016 GVHSB次元官网网址� application to rezone 1780 Townley for redevelopment faced harsh criticism from the neighbourhood and was turned down by Saanich council. But in the midst of a Greater Victoria housing crisis, council soon came to appreciate the addition of affordable housing.
In the meantime GVHS letB次元官网网址檚 Townley residents know it planned to replace the building.
Kaye Melliship, executive director of GVHS, said the society has offered to help all tenants, telling them they need to move.
And while some moved out, the rezoning and building permit delays caused much of Townley to sit vacant in the midst of a housing crunch. That led GVHS to offer fixed-term tenancies such as HoweB次元官网网址檚, but those are now coming to an end.
B次元官网网址淲e have found GVHS places for some of the original tenants while others took it as a chance to move, some to get closer to their kids, some elderly residents have gone into assisted living, the tenants have moved into a variety of things,B次元官网网址� Melliship said. B次元官网网址淎t this time we are working with the last few to help them move, weB次元官网网址檝e tried to set up meetings.B次元官网网址�
Unfortunately, those remaining arenB次元官网网址檛 overly keen on GVHSB次元官网网址� help, citing a lack of will by GVHS to pay for needed maintenance within the building as itB次元官网网址檚 slated to come down.
B次元官网网址淚 understand that the tenants are very upset, they donB次元官网网址檛 want to move and realize they have to move,B次元官网网址� Melliship said. B次元官网网址淪ome are on fixed term agreements and theyB次元官网网址檙e using fairly aggressive language that they wonB次元官网网址檛 leave, but they entered into the agreement. And we still continue to work with the original tenants, to make sure they have a home when it comes time to demolish the building.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a terrible market, timing is terrible, thatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e working hard to re-house people.B次元官网网址�
