The District of Lake Country council voted to uphold its remedial action order that gave the Airport Inn 45 days to issue eviction notices to tenants and shutter its property.
The decision was made at council on Thursday after the remedial action order was given on Aug. 20, 2019.
According to the district, the remedial action will be enforced starting on Oct. 7 due to safety violations and the lack of an occupancy permit.
On Sept. 17, council heard from Airport Inn owner Raif Flehan’s lawyer, who asked council to delay the remedial action order mainly due to the difficulty of ensuring the remaining residents won’t be left homeless.
In response, the Lake Country Health Planning Society has been working diligently to find appropriate housing options for the six remaining residents.
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“Our team has built relationships with Airport Inn residents and assisted several in finding suitable accommodations locally,” said Corinne Remple, executive director of Lake Country Health Planning Society.
“Due to a lack of supportive housing and necessary services in Lake Country, our hands are tied. Neither Vernon nor Kelowna are options due to constraints on their resources.”
The district said it has done everything possible within the authority of the municipality including facilitating discussion amongst government agencies to communicate the urgent housing needs for the residents of the inn.
“Council now considers the immediate housing needs of the privately-owned Airport Inn residents an emergency and we are working closely with BC Housing and Interior Health to find appropriate housing solutions for individuals impacted, prior to remedial action being implemented,” said District of Lake Country mayor James Baker.
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