Ottawa City Council Votes to Demolish 142 Nepean for Parking – ACORN Forces Concessions for Tenants

On August 31st, Ottawa City Council voted 13-11 in favour of demovicting 142 Nepean tenants for a 30 space parking lot. Unfortunately, misinformation on what is considered affordable housing provided by property developers Glenview Homes and Taggart Realty Management played a large part in city council deciding to put parking over people!

Councillors mentioning trading in the 6 affordable housing units at 142 Nepean St, the few affordable units we have in Centretown, for 25 “affordable” units being built at 108 Nepean St by Glenview and Taggart. HOWEVER, those “affordable” rents are defined as below average market rent which is already over $2000+ for a two bedroom in Centretown AND wouldn’t be subject to rent control!!

This doesn’t help our affordable housing crisis. And while offering tenants $15,000 and giving replacement units at the same rent for 5 years may sound reasonable to councillors who own their own home, any deal to replace already existing affordable housing at well below market rent that doesn’t include FULL rental replacement falls short of a truly fair deal for tenants. What happens in 5 years when tenants are forced to pay $1000/month+ in rent if they wish to stay in their community? Councillors who voted for demolition willfully ignored this question.

While this is far from the outcome we wanted, Ottawa ACORN is EXTREMELY proud of the efforts our members made over the last 8 months fighting back against powerful property developers, including rallies, petitioning, phone blitzes, and deputations with the city.

Without these organizing efforts to put pressure on Glenview and Taggart, tenants would have been left with nothing. ACORN will continue to organize, build power, and fight for an affordable city. With municipal elections coming up October 24, ACORN members certainly won’t forget who sided with tenants and who sided with developers today! Here’s a reminder on how city councillors voted today:

Jean Cloutier – In favour of demolition
Scott Moffatt – In favour of demolition
Allan Hubley – In favour of demolition
Catherine Kitts – In favour of demolition
Mathieu Fleury – Against Demolition
Glen Gower – Against Demolition
Catherine McKenney – Against Demolition
Jeff Leiper – Against Demolition
Rawlson King – Against Demolition
Tim Tierney – In favour of demolition
Rick Chiarelli – In favour of demolition
Laura Dudas – In favour of demolition
Shawn Menard – Against Demolition
Riley Brockington – Against Demolition
Theresa Kavanagh – Against Demolition
Jan Harder – In favour of demolition
Matthew Luloff – In favour of demolition
Cathy Curry – In favour of demolition
Carol Anne Meehan – Against Demolition
Diane Deans – Against Demolition
Eli El-Chantiry – In favour of demolition
Keith Egli – Against Demolition
George Darouze – In favour of demolition
Jim Watson – In favour of demolition