Emergency shelter set up for apartment residents without proper heat, electricity - Action News
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WindsorVideo

Emergency shelter set up for apartment residents without proper heat, electricity

The City of Windsor and the Red Crossset up an emergency shelter Tuesday for residents of 1616 Ouellette Ave. after officials ordered that the apartment building be evacuated for safety reasons.

Unclear how long it will take to fix issues and allow people to move back in

Residents of 1616 Ouellette Ave. speak out

2 years ago
Duration 1:15
Tenants who live in the apartment building at 1616 Ouellette Ave. are not happy about the new ownership group and the setup of an emergency shelter. They were forced to evacuate the building with only a few hours notice on Monday evening.

The City of Windsor and the Red Crossset up an emergency shelter Tuesday for residents of 1616 Ouellette Ave. after officials ordered that the apartment building be evacuated for safety reasons.

When Jerrod Lefler found out he had to leave his apartment with just a few hours' notice, he was shocked.

"I don't think it's fair," he said. "I have dogs.I'm on disability.I don't have any place to go."

The 120-unit buildinghas been without proper heat for "some time"due to a boiler issue, according to the city. Electricity has also been unstable.

"Since September there hasn't been any heat, there hasn't been any hot water it comes and it goes but [it's] mostly cold," said residentRoy Campbell.

Campbell said for him the situation has been a headache "and now today we get this short notice to move."

A boarded-up window
A boarded-up window at the apartment building on 1616 Ouellette Ave. Residents of the building say the boiler that heats the building has been broken for some time. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

Anyone who cannot stay with friends or family is able to access accommodations at the city'sJohn Atkinson Memorial Community Centre. Programming has been cancelled in the meantime.Upwards of 60residents of are expected at the shelter.

Another resident who spoke with CBC News was also not pleased about having to leave his apartment forthe shelter.

"I have to figure out how to get to work," said John Graham. "How am I going to do that from where this centre is? That's a big problem for me."

Donna Girardof the Canadian Red Cross said her team received a call about the need for shelter around noon Tuesday and it was set up within hours.

Contractors have beencalled in to assesshow long repairs to the privately owned building could take, according to the city, but so far there's no timeline for when residents could return.

"It's very difficult for people to stay on a cot...they're only so wide and it is a congregate sheltering system. We'd like to see people on them no longer than a two-week period, but we just don't know," said Girard, the community services coordinator for the CanadianRed Cross emergency management program.

Roughly 50 cots are set up inside the gym of the John Atkinson Memorial Community Centre being used as an emergency shelter. (Jason Viau/CBC)

In addition to warm shelter, people will have access to three meals each day.

Girard said she's not expecting any children to stay at the city's centre. Any pets are being cared for by the Windsor Essex County Humane Society while residents are displaced.

A window with broken panes
A broken window at the apartment building on 1616 Ouellette Ave. Residents say the new ownership group has not addressed their concerns about the state of the building. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

Ward 3 councillor Renaldo Agostino said thatthe building is under new ownership and the ownersweretrying to get the problems solved as soon as possible.

"They just took over the building and they're going to try and get the problems fixed, and I know that because they're trying to do that right now," he said. "Hopefully things get taken care of soon."

CBC News has attempted to reach out to the owners of the building. One of themis currently out of the country andrepresentatives from her office declined to comment.

With files from Jason Viau and TJ Dhir