Dear Lalit Aggarwal,
We are the Brookmill Gardens ACORN Tenant Union. We formed this tenant union through ACORN in response to the ongoing disrepair in units and threats of eviction from Manor Park Management.
Tenants' Issues
Far too many of us are in need of significant repairs. Repairs to broken or unsealed doors and windows, unfinished floors, water damage, malfunctioning appliances and faulty heating systems for instance.
Allowing these issues to fester threatens tenants' wellbeing, health and safety as well as increases energy costs for tenants. For instance, a leaking sink is not only frustrating, it leads to water damage, increased interior dampness and mold. All of which have been associated with increased cardiovascular diseases, strokes, premature deaths, asthma and other respiratory diseases. To complete the repairs we need, is to improve the respiratory, mental and overall health of your tenants, with particular benefits for those with pre-existing conditions.
Additionally, by leaving units in inadequate states of repair you decrease the resiliency and energy efficiency of the unit, which is detrimental to all of us. Climate change means increased severity and frequency of extreme weather events, extreme heat and cold, poor air quality and flooding. For those of us whose window wells fill and flood when it drizzles, or whose units are often far too hot as it is, this is a serious concern.
What's Happened So Far
Last May, in response to door-to-door intimidation of tenants to pay market rents or move, we invited you to meet with tenants. We listed a number of calls to actions, including:
- Ending the intimidation
- Reversing illegal rent increases
- Providing tenants right of first refusal for home sales
- Expediting repair requests by tenants
- Providing a rebate for the removal of the neighborhood pool
- Holding community consultation to discuss neighborhood improvements such as streetlights and garbage cans.
You signed our list of calls to action, and committed to working with us to implement them. While a few improvements have been made, very little action has been taken to address our more serious concerns of repair requests, unlawful evictions and community consultation. In only a few short months we have seen a fresh wave of unlawful evictions being sent out.
In response to this, we gathered photo and written evidence of tenants' outstanding issues, compiled that with our attempts to communicate with you, the signed list of commitments from May and a letter of intent, outlining our renewed calls to action. We delivered this binder, with a follow up electronic version, on Friday November 3rd.
Support & Co-Benefits for Retrofits/Repairs
In order to demonstrate our willingness to cooperate, we also included information about the City’s Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program. This program offers zero-interest, 20 year loans of up to 10% of the current value assessment of the property, to cover the cost of home energy improvements.
We see this program as a win-win solution:
- Tenants would be able to get the repairs they’ve been requesting
- Affordable rents would be maintained
- Manor Park could ensure the longevity of their buildings in the face of the climate crisis.
- Increase in your net operating income by cutting utility and maintenance costs
- Improved monitoring of different systems which helps to cut down on waste in all areas, for instance consumption data can identify energy-draining appliances or where air quality controls may need to be implemented. As well as can help tenants make decisions about energy-use habits.
- Provides more transparency for tenants, property owners and the city at large
All we want is to live in our homes with comfort and dignity. We have been trying to work with you and are frustrated by Manor Park Management's inaction. We are still hopeful that we can come to a resolution, but our patience is wearing thin. For this reason we are grateful for the ACORN members, community allies, and organizations that have signed this open letter in support.
To discuss resolutions and to arrange a meeting with the Brookmill Gardens ACORN Tenant Union, please contact Ottawa ACORN:
Staff Contact:
Katie Russell (Junior Organizer) organize613@acorncanada.org
(613) 746-5999 ext 2
Ashley Reyns (Head Organizer) ottawa@acorncanada.org
