Langford residents who were told their new high-rise apartment building is structurally unsound are packing up and leaving their apartments just months after moving in.
City officials are strongly encouraging residents of Danbrook One, at 2766聽Claude Rd., to move out immediately following the release of a report Friday saying 鈥渢here is a life safety concern for tenants in the building.鈥�
The city is footing the bill for temporary accommodation in hotels until the building can be made safe, but some residents said they have no interest in returning to the building even if repairs bring it up to code.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to go back, because we don鈥檛 trust that the building鈥檚 going to be safe even after whatever the hell they do,鈥� said Samantha Martin. 鈥淲hat happens if whatever repairs they do don鈥檛 work?鈥�
For Martin and her partner, Tad, the news means they鈥檒l be moving for the third time since June, when they found an apartment on the third floor of Danbrook One after eight months of searching for a place that would take their two dogs. The couple relocated to a loft on the ground floor this month.
They had been living in a tent in Port Renfrew for four months before finding a place in Danbrook One.
The couple checked into a hotel room Wednesday after the city notified residents there were concerns about the building鈥檚 safety.
Volunteers from Langford鈥檚 emergency support services, operating out of a space near the building at 780聽Goldstream Ave., are arranging temporary accommodations and providing lists of available rentals to residents who don鈥檛 want to move back into the building.
Of the options offered to the Martins, many prohibit dogs and are more expensive than what they鈥檙e paying now, making their search for a new home difficult.
鈥淚鈥檓 very scared about where we鈥檙e going to go with our dogs in the rental market that we have. There鈥檚 nothing available,鈥� Tad Martin said.
When city officials told Karen McEvay the building was unsafe, she decided to move out temporarily, but said she鈥檒l move back in if she鈥檚 told it鈥檚 safe to do so. McEvay praised the city鈥檚 response and the volunteers working long hours to find residents temporary and long-term solutions.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 been wonderful. That鈥檚 really important,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he volunteers are outstanding. They鈥檝e been great.鈥�
About 25 volunteers with the city鈥檚 emergency support services were on hand Friday and again on Saturday starting at 7 a.m. to get residents into temporary accommodation in four Langford hotels.
Anne Trick, director of Langford鈥檚 emergency support services, said members of the community who aren鈥檛 affected are showing up to help.
鈥淧eople are coming in bringing us goodies. People are coming in offering us free storage facilities for people. Everything that can be made helpful is being done,鈥� she said.
Langford Mayor Stew Young said about half of the building鈥檚 residents have decided to leave.
He remains hopeful that the building owner and engineers will be able to find a solution quickly, but couldn鈥檛 say how long it might take.
Young said the fix involves 鈥渟horing up some beams on the first and second floor,鈥� and, hopefully, won鈥檛 require major work.
The city has paid for hotels up until Dec. 27, but will look at extending hotel stays beyond then if residents can鈥檛 move back in.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to leave anybody standing outside the building,鈥� he said.
Young said he hopes some people will be able to stay with family, as many hotels are booked up over the Christmas period. Displaced residents may have to move to hotels outside Langford.
The city has set a maximum budget of $400,000 to relocate residents and will try to recover the costs through insurance.
A fundraising page set up by Langford鈥檚 Economic Development Committee had raised more than $27,000 as of 6 p.m. Saturday.
Young said the money raised will be distributed to residents to cover unexpected costs.
The building owner, Centurion Property Associates, did not respond to interview requests.
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