The City of Montreal is asking the Government of Quebec to impose a one-year moratorium on the conversion of private residences for seniors (RPA) in the city, and to put in place measures to protect this type of housing.
Posted at 5:01 p.m.
The change in vocation of RPAs, to transform them into simple apartment buildings without services, scares many seniors, who fear finding themselves in the same situation as the tenants of the Mont-Carmel residence in Montreal.
The new owner of this residence indicated his intention to end the RPA status of the building a few months ago. Last July, the tenants obtained a safeguard order from the court, which maintains RPA’s certification until September 19.
But a Damocles sword still hangs over their heads. Monday evening, several of them showed up at the city council meeting to ask for help from elected officials.
It was the opposition at City Hall that requested the moratorium, in a motion tabled Tuesday in City Council, and which was adopted unanimously.
“The problem we have is people who want to make easy money, quick money, on the backs of our elders, and this is unacceptable”, denounced Aref Salem, head of the ‘opposition.
“We want it to stop, and that’s why we’re asking for a one-year moratorium,” added the head of housing on the City’s executive committee, Benoit Dorais. “Housing is a fundamental right and everything must be done to avoid the commodification of housing. »