Several subtenants in the commune of Saint-Hubert in Longueuil could find themselves on the street due to a new municipal decree. One of the tenants is very worried about the future.
Last June, the building’s basement was damaged by water, forcing the visit of inspectors from the city of Longueuil. The building’s owner claims to have made the corrections since then. Despite everything, the city sent him an eviction notice with the condition that he no longer rented out any rooms.
“Now things have changed very, very much. And I think we’re responding to a real need. I think they should put this house in their regulations, in a new regulation,” thinks Dan Duru, the owner.
The regulation is clear: it prohibits more than two bedrooms for a maximum of four people in the Saint-Hubert district. A regulation that the owner was not aware of.
The news was like a bombshell for these tenants, who will have to start looking for a new apartment from March.
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In an interview with TVA Nouvelles, Mario Fichaud points out that this decision will have a significant impact on his daily life. He has lived in the triplex for six years.
“Do I pay the same amount for accommodation? will i find one I’m sick, [je fais] Diabetes. I have trouble getting up, my knees don’t work anymore. Looking for a place to stay will not go well […] I don’t have a lot of faith that it will go well,” the tenant said.
The zoning ordinance does not affect the entire area of Ville de Longueuil. Only a sector of Saint-Hubert is attacked.
“The goal of the city is to find a way that these people don’t actually end up on the streets because we don’t want that on anyone, just as we don’t want people to continue living in the area in situations that could endanger their safety, because they live in non-ideal situations, for example in terms of fire safety,” explains Louis-Pascal Cyr, doorman for the city of Longueuil.
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The city states that this is due to the zoning of the sector, which does not allow more than two rooms in a rental for fire safety reasons.