Samantha Martin has no idea where she will be living after Friday, Jan. 3.
The Danbrook One resident has been living in a hotel with her partner and their two large dogs since Dec. 18, shortly after finding out that the safety and structural integrity of their apartment building may have been comprised.
Martin works mainly out of her home and paid $1,680 for a one-bedroom loft of more than 1,000 square feet.
Though the building owner, Centurion Property Associates, has offered to help residents relocate to similar apartments, none of the options remaining are within Martin’s budget.
She pointed out that a sizable number of her fellow neighbours have chosen to move into The Star at Goldstream, at 1085 Goldstream Ave. But there are only units with two bedrooms and a den remaining, which start at $2,250 a month – a $570 difference.
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“There’s no plan B,” Martin said. “We haven’t found a place yet because either it’s way too expensive or they don’t take pets. It’s more than frustrating. It’s a lot of rage, anger and disappointment. It definitely feels like the city isn’t helping us enough.”
Langford offered tenants up to $350 in prepaid credit cards to each unit for incidentals. The City is also covering all moving costs, and rent difference up to three months, to a maximum of $1,200.
A GoFundMe page set up to help cover out-of-pocket expenses such as meals and gas raised more than $41,000 as of Dec. 30.
DB Services, the builder, confirmed that temporary supports are installed on the first and second floors of Danbrook.
Crews were seen on Dec. 23 installing reinforcement in the lobby, in front of the building, and in the parking lot.
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According to a media release from the City of Langford, they will not reinstate the occupancy permit for Danbrook One until “all life safety issues are addressed and the building is compliant with the BC Building Code.”
Notably, the lateral system, which affects how the building performs in a seismic event, is of concern. The temporary supports have only addressed the concerns involving the gravity system.
This means that two independent engineers will have to sign off before residents can move back into the building.
Until then, Martin continues looking for a new place to call home.
