Residents evacuated from Langford apartments say city's financial assistance isn't enough

Residents displaced from RidgeView Place in Langford, British Columbia, last month can now apply for financial assistance after their apartment building was deemed structurally unsafe, forcing them out of their homes.

A grant program to support residents has been launched by the City of LangfordCommunity Social Planning Counciland supported with donations from local businesses and individuals.

One-time grants of up to $2,000are available to help with rent and other costs.

However, due to limited funds, priority will be given to applicants with disabilities, seniors, families with children, and those with low to moderate incomes.

Residents say funds don't stretch far enough

Ashley McDonald was one of the residents in the 11-storey building and was suddenly left trying to find alternative housing,

She says she feels the requirements leave out a large group of residents who are left with no support.

"It was not a cheap building to live in. The cheapest rent in that building for a one-bedroom was In the ballpark of $2,600 a month," McDonald said.

"If you look at the application that they've put forward to determine our eligibility, they say that the cap is $44,000 per household [per year] to be eligible. But if your rent is $2,600 a month and you're making $44,000 gross a year? That's impossible. That's not the demographic of the building I was living in."

McDonald says she is concerned residents who need the support won't be able to access it.

"Our building had a very interesting demographic. It wasa lot ofyoung professionals. There were a lot of new Canadians, and there were also quite a few new British Columbiansand most of them had kids," she said. "I know that there arepeople that are still looking."

McDonald has now found a new space to live in and moved in this week.

"It wasn't easy. I was living in a three-bedroom, I'm now living in a two-bedroom. I can't put it on anything other than luck.We kind of knew that we couldn't be super picky," she says.

The provincial government is also contracting a community services navigator to help those affected find long-term housing and access support services.

Short-term supports for accommodation

Residents were offered short-term support from the province, which included funds to cover five days of accommodation and food.

The owner of the building, Centurion Property Associates, also offered each resident $2,500.

Last month, the apartment building was deemed unsafe following an investigation by Engineering and Geoscientists B.C. (EGBC), the second structural safety risk identified at the building since it was built in 2018.

EGBC continues its investigation of the property.