More than 20 units in a new Langford highrise have been permanently vacated but people continue to live there in limbo after the building was deemed unsafe just before Christmas.
Andrew Check hasn’t unpacked his bag since returning to the 90-unit Danbrook One at 2766 Claude Rd. on New Year’s Eve from a trip to Port Alberni for the holidays.
“I have three pairs of clothes I’m just cycling through the system. Fridge doesn’t have a lot of food in it. I’m fully prepared to move at a moment’s notice, and I have most of my room packed up too,” he said.
Check doesn’t have any family nearby that he can stay with until problems with the building are fixed.
The City of Langford said in a statement on Monday it continues to strongly recommend that tenants seek alternative accommodations to living in the 11-storey rental apartment building, despite efforts by the owner to install metal supports to fix structural problems.
“Tenants who choose to continue living in Danbrook One are aware of the risks and are making their decisions accordingly,” said the city.
On Dec. 18, the City of Langford announced there were questions about the structural integrity of Langford’s tallest building and offered assistance to tenants who felt unsafe to move out.
On Dec. 20, an independent engineering report for the municipality confirmed worst fears, finding problems with the building’s gravity system and its lateral system, which affects how it could respond to an earthquake. There are also other building-code requirements the structure does not meet.
Of the 90 mostly one- and two-bedroom units in the building, 86 were occupied. The city offered tenants two-weeks accommodation in hotels; a $200 prepaid credit card; a rent differential for three months for those who moved into more expensive units, and moving expenses when using approved movers. The city continues to offer to pay the rent top-up and moving expenses.
Fifty-six hotel rooms were paid for by the city between Dec. 18 and Jan. 3, said the city.
Check didn’t take the city up on the hotel offer, because he left for Port Alberni a couple of days after receiving the news, but not before packing up most of his things.
He and his roommate have looked at a few possible rentals, but have no immediate plans to make a permanent move. They’re discovering it’s hard to find a place that’s similar in terms of space and cost, and one that allows pets, because Check has a cat. “I’ve noticed that's been the problem with a lot of people. That’s why they’re still here, because they can’t find a pet-friendly place,” he said.
At the same time, he’s not sure if he feels safe at home.
“I’ve heard so many different things from different people,” said Check. “Obviously there’s something wrong with it, but if it was truly, truly unsafe, everybody would be out with no questions. Do I necessarily feel safe? Probably not. But not super scared that I need to run.”
Building owner Centurion Property Associates of Toronto and the City of Langford have said they don’t believe they are legally allowed to force residents out.
Centurion took out a building permit for temporary shoring for the first and second levels of the building. The company said in an email they’re waiting for the engineer of record — the same one who was involved in designing and building Danbrook One — to provide a report detailing what work might be required to remedy the building’s issues.
“Until we are in receipt of this and have had the chance to have our own engineers review this, we won’t have a scope of work that may be required, which would allow us to estimate a timeline,” said Centurion president Greg Romundt by email.
The City of Langford said it will now write to Centurion to request the remedial plan for Danbrook One.
“Centurion's remedial plan must be signed off by a new engineer of record and it must have undergone a peer review by another engineering firm,” said the city, adding it will need assurances there are no life-safety risks and that the building is compliant with the B.C. Building Code.
“Given Centurion's prompt response to the gravity load risks and resulting temporary shoring work, we expect that this work has already begun and we will be requesting a timeline for receipt of their plan.
“It is unclear to us at this time whether or not remedial work can be undertaken with tenants in place,” said the city.
“Everyone — including the City of Langford — are waiting on Centurion to provide more information so that next steps can be informed and taken.”
Gilbert Sun, among the tenants who have decided to move out, was hauling his belongings from the building to a friend’s truck on Sunday. He lived in the building for only three months. He and his girlfriend found a place nearby for a similar price to what they were paying in Danbrook One. He said he was annoyed to be moving again so soon.
“The packing and moving part sucks,” he said. “I stayed up all night packing.”
Centurion said it has credited tenants for rent paid for the period between Dec. 21 and Dec. 31, and has cancelled all pre-authorized rent payments.
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