Lowertown tenants upset over transition fund rules
Lowertown money only distributed to those with 20 years’ residency
A special tenant fund designed to help long-term residents transition to new homes when their Lowertown apartments are demolished has created plenty of frustration for tenants who received no money.
People living in just two of about a dozen units have already split a purse of cash worth an estimated $168,000, while the remaining residents get nothing when the handful of apartment buildings on Bruyere Street and St. Andrew Street are torn down and replaced with condominiums.
The seemingly unfair disbursement of money stems from a stipulation that says only tenants who have rented in the handful of buildings for 20 or more years will be eligible. The suggestion for the stipulation came from a task force that represented the community during the discussions with council, but residents say they were not aware of the special tenant fund and they certainly did not know about the 20-year stipulation.
“Everything should be equal. It doesn’t matter how long you live there,” said Michel Antoine, who has lived in one of the units for 16 years. “I was surprised that such a thing would come out.”
The unusual fund was created by city council in 2011, forcing owner Claridge Homes to give money to help long-term tenants transition to new housing. The money would come from the cash the city normally receives from new developments, which is earmarked for parkland.
Coun. Peter Hume worked with the residents, who were largely represented by the Bruyere Street Task Force, during the discussion leading up to 2011. Rideau-Vanier ward Coun. Mathieu Fleury had to recuse himself from discussions because of his father’s link to Claridge.
Hume said he didn’t anticipate any problems when the planning committee he chairs made the recommendation for the 20-year stipulation to council because the suggestion originally came from the task force.
Antoine said the task force should have at least informed them about the proposal, but those who participated at the time disagree.
Jodi Murray helped form the task force and says “there was no obligation to inform” residents. If residents wanted to participate, they could have at anytime, she explained.
City solicitor Rick O’Connor said several other tenants have recently contacted him, claiming they are eligible for funding. If they are, this could create a difficult situation considering the money has already been given out. He plans to meet with the tenants in the coming weeks to discuss their eligibility.