Tour aims to get rid of Surrey slumlords
Posted March 15, 2016 7:42 am.
Last Updated March 15, 2016 9:37 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS 1130) – It’s meant to draw attention to the plight of people living in unacceptable conditions. “Surrey Central Slum Tour” which goes this afternoon, with the goal of getting rid of slumlords.
The tenants of Surrey’s Bristol Estates say they’ve had enough and today, they’re highlighting what they say they have to live with every day.
Anna Kowalewski, a member of ACORN’s Surrey branch, says landlords ignore most of the problems.
“We’re going to be doing the protest due to the living conditions, as well as other things that the members of ACORN who live here have decided are just not okay. Maintenance problems, bullying by the management, bug infestations… that kind of thing.”
She claims calls to management have gone unanswered and believes her building is far from the only one.
The group wants the city to update and more actively enforce bylaws to eliminate slumlords.
“There’s a basic maintenance bylaw in Surrey and we do want to have that updated to catch up a little bit to what Vancouver and New West’s bylaws are. We also want to bring attention to the fact that there are slumlords in Surrey and other parts of Vancouver who do this, and it’s not okay.”
The slum tour begins at 3 p.m. today at 133rd Street and 104th Avenue.
