Norris Road renters have just days to leave

Tenants at the Norris Road apartment complex that was recently declared unsafe by the city of Vancouver have been given until the end of this month to get out, according to a city building official. Eviction notices were served by the landlord that fix April 30 as the final date to vacate.

Building official Sree Thirunagari said that a thorough inspection of the property had been set for Monday and a private contractor, hired by the landlord, was expected to participate “given the technical nature of these code items and repair items.”

Meanwhile, the city was also glad to hear that landlord Edwin Hiebert, who is elderly, and a family member are also talking to real estate agents about potentially selling the place. They’ll know more about whether they want to undertake renovations or just unload the property after the inspection, they told city officials. What they do is entirely up to them, Thirunagari said — but the city would prefer not to have to intervene again.

“Our interest is making sure that this property is going to be maintained down the road,” he said. “Whoever is there in the future, we hope they make sure to stay on top of maintenance issues.

“The situation did not happen overnight. When you have rotted floors … it’s an indication the property has been neglected for some time,” he said.

In late March, police swept through the properties — eight units at 2009 Norris Road and a small freestanding house at 2015 Norris — and made approximately 20 arrests for drug and property crimes. They also called in city building inspectors to take a look, and on April 6 the city declared the property unfit for habitation due to numerous problems — including rotting floors, water leaks, mold, improper wiring, boarded-up fire exits and other “critical safety issues.”

Everybody was supposed to get out immediately — but Thirunagari said the city is cognizant of displaced residents’ hardships, too, and didn’t want just to force them onto the street. He said the city has contacted agencies including the Salvation Army and the Council for the Homeless for emergency assistance.

Over the past week, the parking lot at the apartment complex has been full and a “garage sale” has been underway.

“Whoever’s remaining there … has until the end of this month to move on,” Thirunagari said.