2023-08-10 23:49:44
About 15 residents of a rooming house in Mont-Joli were to leave their homes on Thursday, following their landlord gave them an eviction notice a few weeks ago, leaving them less than one to leave.
• Read also: Fifteen people risk ending up on the street
Some vulnerable and low-income residents still refuse to leave and challenge the legality of this eviction. This is the case of René Huard and his spouse.
“I’m going to sleep on the side of the road!” Revolted René Huard. I will have nowhere to stay, to feed myself. Nothing!”
Its owner received two notices of non-compliance from the fire department of the City of Mont-Joli and chose to close the doors of his establishment.
VAT News
Like other lodgers in his situation, René Huard’s income is limited. The shortage of housing means that there is nothing available, and the Municipal Housing Office (OMH) of Mont-Joli already has a long waiting list.
“We are preparing to leave if we can find something. I still have a lot of personal effects, I have furniture,” added René Huard.
“The waiting list for single people is very long, and I have no accommodation available. People stay,” lamented Vallier April, general manager of the OMH.
For his part, the owner defends himself. Ariel Wolf said he had already spent $300,000 to make his building compliant, and he still had to pay the same amount for other work. A sum he claims not to have in his possession.
“There is no help from the government, from the municipalities or whatever for this kind of situation,” explained Mr. Wolf.
The housing committee of Bas-Saint-Laurent refused requests for interviews from TVA Nouvelles this morning. He said, however, that the eviction notice sent was not legal.
VAT News
“I announced to everyone that the City of Mont-Joli says that we do not have the right to house (people) in this building. That’s exactly what I announced. That’s what the City told me. There was no notice of eviction,” defended Ariel Wolf.
The landlord said he will be fined thousands of dollars if lodgers stay in his building. However, René Huard remains stoic.
“The way (the owner) speaks: ‘Rene, Rene, Rene, if you don’t leave, what do we do?’ I told him that you manage with what you want. You put me up once morest the wall. You don’t even give me time to turn around,” said Mr. Huard.
The remaining lodgers intend to fight to the end and defend their point at the administrative housing tribunal.
1691733833
#Rooming #house #residents #refuse #leave #eviction #notice
