Hospital evictions have broad impact

Scott Neufeld, managing editor The Vernon Daily Courier

One can’t help but feel for the residents of a townhouse complex near Vernon Jubilee Hospital. The Vernon Daily Courier learned earlier this week that the Interior Health Authority had purchased the townhomes with the intent of demolishing them. While the health authority plans to inform residents that they must move out, it was the Vernon Daily Courier who broke the
news to residents. Admittedly, the health authority took possession of the townhomes on Wednesday and could not inform residents before then. But the day after taking possession, IH had not yet informed renters of the evictions.

IH appears to be doing all they can to help residents transition to new housing as soon as they can. They’ve given seven months notice to the residents, are offering to pay them four months worth of rent and a $500 moving allowance. When your home of six years is about to be demolished it’s tough to take no matter the deal. This seems like a reasonable deal, but the Vernon Daily Courier will continue to follow the story to see if residents actually receive the funds and whether they think the money is fair. It’s unfortunate that these townhouses, many of which are rented by families and seniors, will be destroyed to make room for storing
construction equipment.

Rental property is tough to come by in Vernon at any price level. Taking 17 units off the market will make an already desperate problem even worse. While some new multi-family properties have come on the market, few make it to the rental market and those that do are priced out of reach of many families. So in the midst of this rental housing crisis, where vacancy rates are steady at less than one per cent, homes are being knocked over for vacant lots. Perhaps instead of helping just the residents who are being evicted, the province, through Interior Health, should help newcomers to the area and others who are desperately searching for a place to live.

The province should replace each unit that’s demolished to give back what they’re taking away from Vernon. There should also be some guarantees that the land will revert back to low-cost townhomes once the hospital expansion is completed. While the evicted residents are most directly affected, every renter in Vernon will feel some impact from the destruction of these townhomes. The B.C. government needs to do all it can remedy the situation.