Karlie Rheaume had only been living at their Sackville, N.B., apartment unit for a couple of months when they received an eviction notice on July 3.
The letter said tenants would have to be out by the beginning of August because the building’s new owners planned to demolish it.
“Those notices were served on my door. I was at work. I got a text of a picture of my door with those pages, and they clearly stated, ‘We’re demolishing the building,'” said Rheaume (they/them).
They and their neighbours scrambled to find new places to live that was within their budget — not an easy feat in the current housing market.
“Having a month to find housing was like, ‘Where am I going to live?’ There’s already a pretty tough market here in Sackville,” Rheaume said.
“It wasn’t until a coworker of mine spoke to his partner, who was working out of province, and (said), ‘I have a spare room if you need one.’ I didn’t have anywhere else to go, so that’s where I went.”
Imagine Rheaume’s surprise when they saw the same unit on Weldon Street listed in early August for $1,500 — or nearly double their original rent of $825.
The online posting touts the two-bedroom unit’s features, which include parking and pet-friendly rules. It also states the apartment is “getting fully painted” and has new kitchen flooring and updates.
“Looking for short term, 8 months +|-, we may demolish and rebuild,” the bottom of the ad reads.
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Rheaume doesn’t mince words when it comes to their reaction.
“It felt like kind of a slap in the face honestly, because all of this hardship and time that I’ve spent (looking for a new apartment) could have not happened,” they said.
Global News spoke to the building’s landlord, Genevieve Savoie, who declined an on-camera interview.
She says she and her husband purchased the building with the intent to demolish it and rebuild a six-unit structure, in order to take advantage of a CMHC incentive.
Global News was provided with quotes the Savoies received from local demolition companies for the work.
When the couple decided to rebuild as an eight-unit building, however, they were told the property would need to be rezoned, which would take months for the municipality to approve.
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The Savoies are now renovating the units and fixing various issues, such as the exterior stairs, in order to rent them out in September while they wait for the proper approvals for the eventual rebuild.
Savoie said she and her husband faced intense backlash and harassment after social media posts were made about the situation. Her car was recently egged, which she believes is connected to the controversy.
However, she said they had no choice but to list the units again, because they need the income.
“We can’t leave it empty and pay for all their bills and then have squatters moving in. So that’s why we decided to rent it.”
Matthew Hayes, a member of the NB Coalition for Tenants Rights, said that tenants who are affected by the eviction should speak to the province’s Tenant and Landlord Relations Office, but added that he isn’t hopeful they will have much recourse.
“It speaks to the lack of regulation, the lack of capacity on the part of New Brunswick housing authorities to be able to intervene in a timely manner to ensure people maintain their homes,” he said.
Rheaume says they have tried reaching out to that office, but were redirected several times and haven’t heard back since.
“Going through this felt very lonely,” Rheaume said.
“I’m sure I’m not the first tenant to go through this. The sentiment is shared that we’re trying to manage all the sudden upsets of life that come with a sudden eviction, while figuring out navigating the system.”
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