‘Destroyed in less than a year’: Granville St. SRO resident wants public to see conditions - BERITAJA

As the state prepares to adjacent the Luugat single-room occupancy (SRO) building connected Vancouver’s Granville Street by the extremity of June, it appears BC Housing doesn’t want the nationalist to spot wrong the erstwhile edifice that taxpayers paid millions of dollars to person to supportive lodging during COVID.

“I’m happy to get retired of there,” Luugat resident Stewart Holcombe said pinch a chuckle Friday.

Holcombe told BERITAJA he and about a twelve different residents were moving to caller homes connected May 1, aft they were told successful September that the state would beryllium uncovering them places adjacent to aliases amended than 1176 Granville Street.

Holcombe said the bath tile successful his fourth-floor portion astatine the SRO had caved successful owed to flooding from each the fires complete the years, and his caller accommodation successful East Vancouver is measurement better.

“It’s 3 times the size, it’s cheaper and I have, like, a afloat fridge, afloat stove,” he told BERITAJA up of the planned move. “It’s a complete bachelor suite alternatively of conscionable a small box.”

The Luugat had about 80 residents successful the autumn of 2025.

As of April 27, 36 residents remained and each had been offered replacement housing, according to B.C.’s Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.

Although Holcombe disputes that declare and said immoderate residents haven’t been offered immoderate lodging yet, the ministry said 18 residents person accepted offers and are waiting to move, while the remainder are “evaluating which lodging action will activity champion for them”.

Another flood astatine Aura nightclub connected the crushed level of the erstwhile Howard Johnson edifice connected Fri. April 24 offered a glimpse of the surviving conditions successful the supportive lodging above.

With the thief of a plumber, barroom proprietor Alan Goodall said he tracked the h2o to an overflowing toilet successful a first-floor unit, which was piled pinch 2 to 4 feet of garbage – and nary bed.

BERITAJA wanted to springiness the nationalist a clearer look wrong aft the building’s about six-year tenure arsenic an SRO.

“It was destroyed successful little than a twelvemonth and a half,” Holcombe said successful an interview. “Pretty sad.”

BC Housing denied BERITAJA’ petition to movie the Luugat’s communal areas and unoccupied rooms, stating it has an responsibility to respect the privateness of existent residents.

“For that reason, we will not beryllium capable to accommodate immoderate media circuit of the building,” the Crown corp said successful an email.

In Oct. 2020, BERITAJA was welcomed wrong the building for a tour, conscionable months aft the state purchased the erstwhile edifice for $55 cardinal to location group from encampments.

Our cameras photographed a safer proviso dispensing machine, the overdose prevention tract supra the lobby, and various residents successful the elevators and hallways.

Atira, the lodging usability astatine the time, said about the supports disposable for residents, including wellness attraction support workers.

“It was beautiful successful the beginning,” recalled Holcombe.

BC Housing said it was happy to beryllium capable to accommodate BERITAJA previously. There besides appeared to beryllium nary privateness issues pinch residents astatine that time.

More than 5 years later and pursuing aggregate fires, floods and astatine slightest $1.87 cardinal spent connected building repairs and remediation, it appears BC Housing does not want taxpayers to spot what’s near of the Luugat.

“All the worldly successful the hallways, pictures were taken disconnected the wall, the TVs were each taken and sold – like, it was destroyed successful little than a year,” Holcombe said, adding he believes the nationalist should beryllium capable to spot the conditions. “Absolutely, yeah, it’s been destroyed like, it’s perfectly decimated successful there, for illustration there’s flood harm connected each floor, location (are) aggregate rooms you can’t moreover spell in, the roofs are caving in.”

When pressed connected entree and what had changed since 2020, BC Housing said group successful the building are successful the process of having to move out.

“This is simply a destabilizing and stressful infinitesimal successful people’s lives and our attraction is connected supporting the move-out process for residents and the community,” the Crown corp responded successful an email.

Holcombe, who survived a bizarre incident which saw him stuck successful the building’s ventilation shaft for much than 24 hours successful August 2024, said he’s optimistic for the adjacent section of housing.

“I’m rather excited,” he said connected moving day.