Cambridge residents rally against neighbourhood rooming houses
Residents in the Clemens and Shades Mill area of Cambridge are frustrated with what they claim is a rise in neighbourhood rooming houses.
Cass Skropolithas was the first person to bring up the issue of perceived rooming houses on social media and has seen neighbours rally around her to stop what they consider property standards issues.
Skropolithas, who lives in the area, says there is a home on her street that houses 10 to 15 people.
In the event of a fire, she wonders how that many people can get out of a house safely.
The sidewalk in front of the home isn’t regularly cleared of snow, she added, and garbage piles up outside and several cars litter the street.
With a larger vehicle, she said it is not unusual for her to drive over her lawn to get out of her driveway.
Skropolithas said the people who owned the house purchased it during the COVID-19 pandemic and lived in it a short time before turning it into a rental.
“When they left, they left with the intention of the house being a rooming house. We knew that there was going to be an apartment, and that part never really bothered anyone.”
But since the owners left, people come and go all the time, she said.
The issue has been brought up with the homeowner, Skropolithas said, and nothing has been done. Now, she is turning to the city. Ward 8 Coun. Nicholas Ermeta said concerns over rooming houses are growing among residents in his ward. He believes fast action is needed to quell fears, and he is attempting to arrange a community meeting between city staff and residents to address their concerns.
Under Cambridge’s property standards bylaw, rooming houses are allowed in the city for between three to 10 people.
However, Skropolithas is hoping something can be done to further limit the number of people in the home and hold them accountable for upkeep of the property.
“You’re taking advantage of people that are coming over here to try and have a better life or to go to school. I find that when you’re jamming that many people into a home, no one’s being properly taken care of.”
Last week, a bylaw officer paid a visit to the home and fewer cars are now on the street, she said.
Skropolithas has an ally in Richard Campbell, who also has concerns with what he believes to be a rooming house on Wade Green. He said issues have already risen when a tenant’s parked car at the centre of the court hampered fire fighters’ efforts to battle a fire at the residence. Campbell says several neighbours on the street called and emailed parking enforcement before the fire about cars illegally parking on the street, not only causing a headache to residents, but disrupting garbage and delivery trucks.
“After the fire started, there were approximately 13 to 15 people who had exited the home and were gathered on the corner. The house is currently unoccupied and awaiting repair. Since the house has been unoccupied, there are at least seven less vehicles in the court,” Campbell said.
“Residents are concerned that the neighbourhood is going downhill,” Ermeta wrote in an email to city clerk Danielle Manton, requesting an in-person meeting with residents and staff, and other city agencies.
Ermeta previously received an email response from Karen Pepper, director of the mayor and council office. According to her email, it appears the issue is with student accommodations.
Pepper said Mayor Jan Liggett has assigned Coun. Corey Kimpson and Coun. Sheri Roberts to student housing issues, with the trio meeting with staff to deal with the challenges. They have also met with Conestoga College and its student union to discuss possible housing solutions.
“Conestoga was very open to further discussions,” Pepper said. “Coming out of that meeting we connected Conestoga with our fire chief, and they have had some great conversations and are currently working on a reporting system where students could report unsafe conditions safely without worrying about retribution.”
Staff, she said, are also looking at the possibility of forming a committee with representatives from bylaw, building, fire, the college and other agencies to discuss challenges and solutions.
Roberts said she is aware of the issues and believes it is a property standards issue, more than a student issue. “I would encourage residents to report any property standards concerns through the Service Cambridge portal,” she said.