A property owner in charge of nearly 200 empty affordable housing units in eastern Montreal also has at least 100 vacant homes in LaSalle, as people across the city struggle to find somewhere to live. In the east end Pointe-aux-Trembles neighbourhood, there are buildings on 24e, 25e, 26e and 27e Avenue with several vacant affordable apartments and tenants arguing that more than 200 units are currently unoccupied. Similarly, in LaSalle, at least another 100 units are sitting empty, according to a report by Noovo Info. Combined, there may be more than 300 vacant apartments. One tenant who lives near an apartment that has been vacant for months says the units have never been reoccupied since the former tenants moved out. “It’s strange that these places are empty,” she said, adding that the unit appears to be in good condition. Another long-term resident says it’s nothing new. “They don’t do anything,” she said. “My neighbour upstairs had her bathroom ceiling fall in three weeks ago […] They said they would come, but they never did. She had to fix it herself.” The tenant says she also tried to get her family members into one of the available apartments, but laments, “It’s not possible. I think they’re trying to get everyone out so they can tear it down and build condos.” Some of the vacant homes include two- and three-bedroom units, most of which are considered to be at affordable prices. When contacted by phone, Robin Lang, owner of Gestions Turret, the company responsible for the properties in question, would only say that potential renovation projects were in the works for the empty apartments. In response, the Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU) argues that this situation highlights the need for a rent registry in Quebec. “This practice contributes to the unaffordability we face today,” said spokesperson Véronique Laflamme.
