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Montreal Suburb Acts Against Slumlord for Mould
Problems
CBC News, April 16, 2011
Mushrooms can be seen growing from the floor in one of the Vézina Street
apartments the city is concerned about in the Montreal bureau of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.
The Montreal borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce said it is
taking action against the owner of a vermin-infested apartment complex.
On Friday, borough Mayor Michael Applebaum notified the owner of the
buildings at 4837 and 4855 Vézina St. that he must hire an exterminator;
begin work to remove asbestos and install a security system in the front
lobby.
"The work must be started as of Monday," Applebaum said. "If it is not, the
borough will hire an outside firm. The work will be commenced on Tuesday and
we will put a lien on this property."
Applebaum said this is not the first time the city has gone after Robert
Sebag, the building’s owner.
"He is a delinquent landlord — he is one of the worst landlords in the city
of Montreal," Applebaum said. "As people like to say, he is a slumlord."
In 2008, Sebag was persuaded to sell eight run-down buildings on
Christophe-Colomb Avenue in the city’s Villeray district after he was issued
157 notices by city officials. A construction company bought the buildings
and is now working with a community group to renovate them.
Applebaum said a non-profit organization has also expressed interest in
buying the buildings on Vézina. He said the deal could be completed by
mid-January, with renovations starting in April.
Residents in the Montreal suburban buildings said they have complained for
months about mice, cockroaches and mould.
In addition to the vermin, the heat has been off for three days, tenant
Kugan Mano said.
"I pay $750 for nothing," Mano said. "It's like living in the North Pole."
Another tenant, Maximus Singarayer, said he is pleased the city is getting
involved but he remained skeptical.
"I don't believe still the city,” Singarayer said. “If it does something
then we can believe for the city."
Sebag could not be reached for comment. |