‘A case of hoarding’: West Vancouver council orders property cleared, home demolished

The exterior and interior of a home that has been ordered demolished are shown in these photos from a report to West Vancouver council.

A house in West Vancouver that has been the subject of complaints dating back over a decade will be demolished, after council rejected the homeowner’s appeal for a reprieve.

The decision to approve a motion ordering the property to be cleaned up and the structure torn down was approved at a Monday meeting.

“Obviously there’s no one that sits at this table that wishes we were in this situation, it’s very difficult,” Mayor Mark Sager said.

An 88-page report submitted to council described the state of the property in the Horseshoe Bay area.

“The exterior of the property contained a large amount of discarded waste scattered and stacked throughout the entirety, including but not limited to plastic bins, pots, garbage, animal shelters and aquariums, garbage bags, used food containers, discarded construction materials, damaged insulation, tarps, metal grates, clothing, household items, ladders, broken glass, one vehicle, blankets, a canoe, shelving units, tents, and a significant amount of additional discarded refuse and unwholesome materials,” the report said.

Navigating the inside of the home was near-impossible for inspectors who wore hazmat suits to do the work, according to the report, which detailed how piles of belongings, refuse and debris were stacked ceiling-high in some cases, and waist-high in others. An engineering report noted a proper assessment of the structure was impossible due to the state of the property and the home but observed a laundry list of issues.

Among the “imminent” risks cited were those of fire and collapse.

The owner of the property, Yvonne Gabriele Mischke, no longer lives in the home—which is subject to a ‘do not occupy’ order and where electricity and gas have been turned off.

According to the report, the recommendation to take “remedial action” comes after dozens of complaints from neighbours dating back to 2013 and after extensive efforts to “achieve voluntary compliance” have failed.

“The situation has escalated rather than resolved,” the report said.

The value of the property in one of the province’s priciest municipalities was assessed last year at $1,273,000 while the value of the nearly 100-year-old home was assessed at $9,900.

“Given the state of the building and property, the imminent safety risks present, the reported value of the building, and the scope of work required, any remediation short of demolition and removal would likely be exponentially more financially burdensome to the owner, if such remediation were even possible at all, in light of the hazardous condition of the building,” the report said.

“Given the nature and extent of these hazards, staff recommend that the only viable option for remediation of the identified contraventions and safety risks is demolition.”

Mischke attended Monday’s council meeting, represented by a lawyer.

“We’re not here to argue that something shouldn’t be done. That’s not where we’re coming from, Johannes Schenk said.

“Obviously, something needs to be done. What we’re asking for is a little bit more time.”

The lawyer argued a two-month reprieve should be granted—arguing the municipality had little-to-nothing to lose by giving the owner another chance and that there was a possibility Mischke’s home could be “decluttered” and ultimately saved so she could return.

He also made a plea for compassion.

“I think, on its face, without a diagnosis, it’s a case of hoarding,” Schenk said. “There is a psychological component to that. It’s a recognized disability.”

Coun. Linda Watt, who lives near the property, responded by saying she was sympathetic to the owner but also to the concerns of the community.

“There’s also been a psychological impact on the greater community, on those who live within many blocks. So, while I feel terribly, as somebody who’s lived there, it has been incredibly painful,” Watt said.

Coun. Christine Cassidy said giving the owner more time would be giving her false hope.

“This has been going on forever, we would be doing her a disservice by dragging this out,” Cassidy said.

“We are endeavoring to be sensitive on the subject. But I completely feel that we’re kidding ourselves. The house is a teardown.”

Council approved the motion, which gives Mischke 30 days to clear the property and 60 to demolish the home. If she doesn’t the municipality will do the work at the homeowner’s expense.