Vancouver rooming house owners set to appear in court in October

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A court date has been set for a family that owns a number of Vancouver rooming houses that are in disrepair.

The Sahotas now have two court dates set for October, related to the Balmoral and Regent Hotels.

The family is facing hundreds of bylaw infraction accusations for the two Downtown Eastside hotels. They range from plumbing and structural issues to pest problems.

The city removed tenants from the Balmoral last year because conditions were so poor.

Deputy city manager Paul Mochrie says he has no idea when the Balmoral will be ready for tenants once again. Since the rooming house on East Hastings is no longer occupied, the city can’t compel the owners to make repairs, but it’s still seeking remedy in court for outstanding charges.

“At this point and time, the city has issued orders to make sure the building is structurally stable and doesn’t collapse. Those orders have been complied with. That’s where we stand on the Balmoral.”

The Regent is also in bad shape.

“These are low-income residents. We are facing a housing crisis in this city. We are certainly hoping that the building doesn’t get to the point where it’s unsafe for occupancy,” says Mochrie.

The Atira Development Society has been hired to operate the Regent Hotel, which is also on East Hastings. Atira provides long-term and transitional housing and shelter programs in Surrey, Burnaby and Vancouver.

A third rooming house owned by the Sahotas, the Cobalt, has its own set of problems. The city says its first floor needs repairs, so the Cobalt Cabaret will need to shut its doors while that happens.

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