Back on June 20, about 30 households on Jameson 130, just south of King Street West, received a N5 eviction notice ordering them to either leave their apartments by July 7 or pay a monthly fee to compensate for the higher water supply costs related to the operation of the units or pay for hydroelectric power directly through metering.
All those affected have lived in the building for at least 15 years, lifelong resident Shelly Dunphy told CP24.
Calling the whole issue a “cash grab,” Danfi said after receiving the document, several anxious occupants gathered in the building lobby to express their concerns and talk about how they could stay in their homes. One of the first things they did was contact local MPP Bhutila Karpoche. They also contacted Parkdale Organize, which describes itself as “working-class people in Parkdale organized to build neighborhood power,” for help.
About 80 residents met with the group and Karpoche in front of the building last Friday. A representative from Parkdale Law Clinic was also available.
They gathered again on Tuesday afternoon to raise awareness of the situation and to call on their owner, The Myriad Group, to withdraw the N5 alerts.
Tonight, the residents of 130 Jameson met in front of their building to plan their fight against their owners – Myriad Holdings & Brownstone Developments – after being evicted because they had air conditioners. pic.twitter.com/C9UWPu4hup
– Parkdale Organize (@ParkdaleOrg) June 29, 2022
“The fact is that these tenants do not need to leave,” said Karpoche, who tweeted about the situation.
“The owner has created a sense of panic. The residents, fortunately, talk to each other and organize as a group “.
Tenants at 130 Jameson have received eviction notices for using their ACs.
During the hot summer months, especially during heat waves, this is a serious health problem. They are organized to be able to continue using their ACs, especially because many neighbors are elderly and / or disabled. pic.twitter.com/R9JTROgZlm – Bhutila Karpoche (ilaBhutilaKarpoche) June 27, 2022 Karpoche, which represents Parkdale-High Park, said it believes what is happening at 130 Jameson Avenue does not concern tenants who violate the terms of the lease by installing AC units. He said it was the result of a loophole in the housing lease law, which allows landlords to increase rent as much as they want for vacant units. “When these units are empty, the rent will go up a lot,” Karpoche said. In a statement, responding to Karpoche’s post on social media, the Myriad group said it wanted to “move forward with a beneficial outcome for tenants”. The landlord said every year that they inspect all units at 130 Jameson Avenue for any “deviations from the tenant’s permissible lease”, including air conditioners or other appliances not included in the agreement. “Tenants are then given a letter of warning and given about a week to two weeks to rectify the situation, including the options of paying for electricity directly through metering (with the required rent reduction) or paying us a monthly fee.” they wrote. “The suites of these tenants are being re-inspected after the initial warning period and if they continue to use unauthorized devices, we issue the banned LTB N5 form. “Some tenants, as soon as they receive the warning letter, will register for one of the options, then we consider that the issue is closed.” The landlord went on to say that the tenants who chose not to “pursue one of the options available to them and have been issued an N5” are the ones who contacted Karpoche. The Myriad Group underlined that its actions fall under the law on housing leases, which is imposed by the Council of Landlords. They also said that they have informed the affected tenants about their choices and some have agreed with them, while others have not. “It was not, was not and will never be our intention to evict someone without giving them the opportunity to rectify the situation in a reasonable way and time,” said the owner. Emina Gamulin, of Parkdale Organize, said the landlord “seems to be hitting these tenants from all sorts of different levels. “More and more things are emerging as we move forward,” he said. “These aggressive tactics make life uncomfortable and push people to move.” Gamulin, who is also a longtime tenant in Parkdale, said the best thing tenants can do is understand their rights and take a “collective, immediate” approach when faced with pressure from their landlord. “Divide and rule is a common tactic of the owners,” he said. “We hope (the owner) realizes that these tenants are organized and ready to fight for their homes.”
