More support for the residents of the beleaguered RidgeView Place building was announced Monday (May 1) after tenants had to evacuate for a second time last week.
The City of Langford announced it would use up to $75,000 from its contingency funds to match donations made by the public as the goal is to raise $100,000 for the now former residents.
The Westshore Developers Association (WSDA) will be conducting fundraising efforts throughout the region and three companies donated $15,000 to get the ball rolling, meaning the fund reached $30,000 Monday.
Those looking to donate will be eligible for a tax receipt and can do so at communitycouncil.ca/donate.
Langford on April 24 revoked the occupancy permit for the troubled RidgeView Place apartment building – formerly known as Danbrook One – over safety concerns with residents forced to vacate their homes immediately.
The rental building located at 2770 Claude Rd. is owned by Centurion Apartment Properties Inc. and had the permit revoked “due to ongoing life safety concerns related to the structural design and performance of the building,” the city said in a previous news release.
Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson at a Monday press conference said the fundraising measure will ensure residents are taken care of as quickly as possible.
“We believe this collaborative approach provides the appropriate balance of working with local partners while ensuring taxpayers aren’t solely responsible for helping our neighbours in need,” he said.
Langford has also applied to the Ministry of Emergency Management for funding to hire a community navigator to help the former residents find suitable and long-term accommodations through one-on-one support.
The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria will administer the funds raised. The city said the charitable organization, formed to help those experiencing poverty, has experience in processing applications and administering funds quickly to ensure residents are efficiently supported.
The council will ensure the distribution of the funds will be equitable as some affected households need more support than others, said Diana Gibson, executive director of the CSPC.
Asked if more information about the building’s problem was known, Goodmanson said the city hasn’t yet heard anything more from Engineers and Geoscientists BC or Centurion. Also asked about a timeline for when residents could move back in, if possible, the mayor said the residents moving out are doing so for the long term.
READ: ‘Heated discussions’: Province to house evacuated Langford tenants as mayor says owners ‘absent’
READ: Owners of evacuated Langford building fail in lawsuit against city, engineers
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