Manitoba Housing to target ‘exceptional circumstances’ buildings: Squires

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This article was published 28/07/2022 (881 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Families Minister Rochelle Squires says the Tory government is committed to turning a St. Boniface-area Manitoba Housing property into “a safe and affordable place to call home,” after a visit to the rundown, bug-infested residential tower.

On Thursday, Squires spent about 30 minutes speaking with a dozen or so tenants at 101 Marion St. about their nearly year-long fight to get maintenance, cleanliness and safety concerns taken seriously by the Crown corporation managing the primarily 55-plus building.

During her stop at the Winnipeg apartment tower — which included a tour of the main-floor common areas but no resident floors — Squires said there were obvious areas in need of additional care and maintenance but was pleased to see some outstanding repairs had recently been completed. She was also joined by Manitoba Housing acting chief executive officer and the district director.

“I’ve identified with my team in Manitoba Housing some key priorities for the Manitoba government which include some of these buildings that are experiencing exceptional circumstances,” Squires said Friday. “101 Marion is one of those buildings that need enhanced investment.”

Residents of the building say they have been plagued by rampant cockroach and bed bug infestations, while basic property maintenance has declined to the point where tenants have taken to mopping communal areas and hallways.

Safety is also top of mind for tenants who say their sense of security has been stripped away after seeing the building repeatedly vandalized, finding used needles discarded in stairwells, and watching neighbours in need of addiction or mental health services struggle without adequate support.

Resident and advocate Randall Wolak described the ministerial visit as brief but productive. Squires was invited to view the property by Liberal leader and St. Boniface MLA Dougald Lamont in May, after he raised tenant concerns during question period at the Manitoba legislature.

“I’m just praying that it will make a difference that she’s aware of what’s going on here,” Wolak said.

The 68-year-old said he asked the minister to ensure the property’s surveillance camera system is functional and to consider funding a social worker for the building to assist residents needing mental heath and addictions support.

“In a way, it’s all positive,” Wolak said.

Many tenant concerns related to cleanliness and maintenance — including those featured in a Free Press article in late May — were resolved when cleaning and repair crews descended on the building last week and spent about four days on site in the lead up to Squires’ arrival, Wolak said.

“It felt so good coming into a clean place… What a difference. It’s not that stench and that dirty feeling when you come in. It’s so nice.”

It appears regular cleaning and building maintenance is now taking place, Wolak said — though he still wants to see outstanding concerns related to pest control addressed and enhanced around-the-clock on-site security.

Squires said establishing a relationship and hearing directly from tenants this week was a steps towards addressing those concerns, which she will bring to Manitoba Housing.

“I think a lot of things can be certainly worked through with the proper dialogue,” Squires said, noting security will be on site for two additional hours each day going forward.

The minister also defended her government’s record on maintenance and repair spending at the property, saying $256,000 was spent at 101 Marion St. in the past fiscal year.

“We’ve already identified the building as having exceptional needs and requirements and we’ve made those investments,” Squires said.

“And we’ll continue to do so until that place is certainly a more clean and enhanced building, and a place offering the residents who live there a safe and affordable place to call home.”

Squires said the province recognizes Manitoba Housing properties need significant capital investment, adding the Tories inherited a “billion-dollar repair and maintenance deficit” when they formed government in 2016.

“We’re not just budgeting dollars that we’re not spending,” she said. “We’re making the investments and streamlining the process as well, so we can ensure that our repair/maintenance budget is spent every year on our priority areas.”

The province is also looking to proactively provide support to tenants who need assistance to stay “successfully housed,” Squires said.

“In order to ensure that all Manitobans have a safe and affordable place to call home, there are certain circumstances that require more than just simply handing a person keys to a new place,” Squires said.

Lamont said the condition of 101 Marion St. during the minster’s visit was “night and day” compared to his past stops by the property.

“If this government actually put Manitoba Housing on notice… and if the minister threatened to visit every single Manitoba Housing building, you’d see people start to change,” the Liberal leader said.

“It is a beautiful building actually, in a beautiful location, the people there are hard working and they just want to live in dignity.”

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca