Hamilton Press Conference against tenant displacement – 181 John / 192 Hughson

Posted November 15, 2021

Today ACORN members, Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, Hamilton Community Legal Clinic and Hamilton Anti-racism Resource Centre and tenants from 181 John St N / 192 Hughson St N held a press conference to demand that Valery Homes stop all effort to displace long term tenants!

The press conference was led by Terry Ross and downtown ACORN member Vanessa. 

Since November 1st Valery has engaged in aggressive and predatory tactics to displace tenants from both buildings in floors 6 and below. Valery purchased the building from Greenwin mid October 2021. 

Valery staff has intimidated and misled tenants to accept “compensation packages” to move out from 30 – 90 day.

ACORN and allies are calling on Valery to work with tenants and community groups to find a solution that does not result in tenants being permanently displaced from their homes and neighbourhood

ACORN urges the City of Hamilton to pass bold local policy to protect tenants from renoviction, demoviction and substandard housing conditions.

1. Pass a strong anti-renoviction strategy based on the licensing program from New Westminster, BC, improve the Tenant Defense Fund and implement a proactive tenant eduction program
2. The licensing program should also be based on the RentSafe program from Toronto to ensure landlords are keeping their properties in good repair
3. For demoviction, the city already has policy in place in the Downtown Secondary Plan that “require development proposals that will result in the demolition or redevelopment of affordable housing units to demonstrate that as a result of the proposed development there is no net loss in the number of affordable housing units and provide an acceptable tenant relocation and assistance plan.”  This policy needs to be expanded city wide and to be strengthened by adding that tenants have first right of refusal in the new development to return to a unit at the same rent. Similar to the rental replacement policy in Burnaby, British Columbia. 

ACORN members dropped a demand letter into Valery’s on-site office and sent an email to the Valeri family requesting a meeting to discuss this urgent matter. More to come! 

Press

CBC News: Tenants, community groups fight ‘renovictions’ at Ventura Towers in downtown Hamilton

Hamilton Spectator: Beasley tenants call on landlord to halt ‘renovictions’ that could displace more than a dozen residents

CHCH News: Tenants of an downtown apartment complex say they’re the victims of ‘renoviction’

Hamilton Spectator: ‘We’d like to stay’: Valery Group working to rehouse Venture Towers tenants displaces by demolitions. 

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