Police union calls for action on boarded up homes

“The city bylaw enforcement should be on these landlords ensuring that the broken and boarded up windows are repaired, and that the houses are no longer unsightly, or else the houses should be torn down,” he said. “The vacant lots could be used to plant trees or gardens in the interim, until another dwelling can be built.”

Across the street from the two boarded up houses is another structure that’s been vacated. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Multi-unit dwellings, such as this one, have been the subject of a number of bylaw complaints. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne told paNOW Peterson makes some valid points.

“That’s one of the reasons I am very pleased we moved bylaw back into the planning department where I felt it belonged and the landlords in this city have taken notice of us,” he said.

Dionne explained within the last calendar year, the city demolished over 25 houses.

“And so that’s how serious we are with the landlords. If you are gonna board them up and let them become eye sores in our community, we are gonna serve you notice to repair them. And if you don’t repair them in a timely manner, we are gonna move to demolish,” he said.

A key challenge for the city is the fact that under the provincial government’s cities act landlords have to be given 30 days notice.

“And that frustrates me. You have to give then 30 days notice and that property has been derelict for a year,” Dionne said, adding those houses become drug houses and get targeted by fire.

Dionne explained the city is currently reviewing what authority they have under the current bylaw, but do plan to petition the government to make changes, specifically with respect to speeding up the action process.

“(In) lots of cases the landlords have fixed their houses, took down the boards and we continue to tighten our policies and our bylaws to make sure we can continue to move forward,” Dionne said.

A house in Prince Albert’s Midtown neighbourhood. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

The city’s Midtown area is one of the areas dealing with boarded up homes. Ward 3 Councillor Tony Head said he feels the city has been doing a good job dealing with the issue and responding to complaints.

“Working with the homeowners, as well as addressing the concerns of the neighbourhood, is the balance that the bylaw officers are facing,” Head explained, adding in the last six months, several houses in the Midtown area have come down. “And I suspect we are going to see several more coming down in the near future.”

500 block – 26th St. E. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Head encouraged any residents with concerns to contact the bylaw department.

“Houses are not able to sit with boards with windows or doors so something has to be done, a plan has to be put forward by the homeowner,” he said.

Anyone who has concerns with respect to a specific vacant house, and whether there may be criminal activity occurring there, is encouraged to contact SCAN.

According to numbers provided to paNOW by the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, there were 54 files opened last year in Prince Albert and 43 were concluded.

To the end of March this year, there were six files opened and four have concluded.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Police union calls for action on boarded up homes

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