CTV News: Tenants evicted by bailiff and police at infamous Webster St. apartments

There was a standoff between a tenants rights group and a landlord in London on Thursday.

Police were called to the now infamous Webster Street Apts. moments after a bailiff initially failed to gain entry.

30 minutes later, the bailiff and officers re-entered to be faced with some tenants shouting “shame!”

The encounter ended after a few minutes as all agreed the impacted tenants would be given a 24-hour window, over 72 hours, to take their belongings away.
It is the final stage in a long fight – Tyler Jollymore and his mother Michele are among dozens of tenants who received N12 and N13 eviction notices almost two years ago. The documents are intended to remove residents during extensive renovations.

The Jollymores told CTV News London they have fought the orders from day one. Recently, they faced another claim.

“They’ve tried to get us out because of clutter,” said Tyler. “We have a lot of belongings we’ve accumulated over the years, and they’re trying to say it was a fire hazard.”

“I mean, it’s one of the go-to tactics,” said Jordan Smith of ACORN London, a tenants rights group. “But what landlords do is simply to make life as difficult as possible. And, what they’ve done in the case of Michele and Tyler here, is essentially put so many hurdles in front of them.”

At a rally last month, ACORN presented records indicating a person named Micheal Klein is behind a numbered company that owns the Webster Street Apts. and dozens of other units across Ontario.

ACORN has dubbed him the province’s biggest “renovictor.”

But not all tenants agree.

“The rent is fair for what people are charging out there now,” claimed Debroah Barrett, who now pays over $1,500 per month to live in her renovated unit.

Still, of the almost 140 tenants who received the initial N13 notice, at least 60 continue to fight to stay on Webster Street at previous rental rates.

Most say the federal and provincial governments have failed them. They now want the city to enact a “moratorium” on renovictions.

“We’re bleeding affordable housing,” lamented Smith. “At a time when we’re desperately short of the affordable housing that we need, we’re seeing landlords use these kinds of dirty tactics, at scale, to destroy what’s left of our affordable housing units.”

Affordable housing is fortunately what Tyler and his mother have secured.

And while they’re leaving Webster Street, they’re not doing so without a final, emotional, say.

“The government has been aware of this for a full year, and they’re not doing anything,” Michele said through tears.

“The whole situation has been a nightmare from day one. And in some ways, we’re relieved that it’s going to be over,” concluded Tyler.

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Article by Sean Irvine for CTV NEWS