WATCH ABOVE: A problematic house in the Junction has one resident up in arms. One city councillor says she’s handcuffed by the city’s bylaws. Mark Carcasole reports.
TORONTO — For about a decade now, the house at 441 Pacific Ave. in the Keele Street and Dundas Street area of the Junction has been abandoned according to its next-door neighbour.
“The landlord is AWOL,” says Jack Krasowski, looking over at the eyesore next door.
“I actually bumped into him some years ago. He told me that he was not going to do anything to the home, that he didn’t care what was going to happen to it.”
The house has fallen into disrepair so badly that city crews had to install braces to support the columns on the front porch three weeks ago.
Without those braces, there were concerns the front of the home could collapse, taking Krasowski’s attached home with it.
The home has had break-ins, seen the odd drifter, and the roof is badly in need of replacement. Several shingles are missing or curled up.
Eavestroughs are filled with debris and downspouts are disconnected, leaving storm water to make its way into Krasowski’s home, creating leaks from his own ceiling every time it rains.
“I have a bucket there every time it rains because it comes through,” says Krasowski as he points to a small dresser.
As a bit of a handyman, Krasowski has taken to making small repairs to the neighbouring home himself to mitigate the damage to his own.
On the front door of 441, a pile of orders and notices from the city are taped on.
The city’s website lists four previous investigations: The first is related to an issue with property standards from late 2013.
That case has since been closed.
After that, there is a notice to comply with waste regulations from June, another property standards issue from July and a notice issued in August about the long grass in the backyard.
The last three investigations are all still open.
The city says the owner also hasn’t been paying property taxes, owing tens of thousands of dollars, in addition to the cost of repairs to the porch.
In order to take someone’s property from them, the city has to wait until they haven’t paid property taxes for three years.
Leading up to that there are several other reports and notices that need to be issued.
Local City Councillor Sarah Doucette feels handcuffed to do any more.
“If we can’t find the owner, the city comes in, does the work, and puts the cost on the property tax,” she explains before her tone shows her frustration.
“But if the person isn’t paying the property tax, what’s the point!?”
Doucette says she is looking forward to October, when the city’s Municipal Licensing and Standards department will bring forward a report calling for changes to municipal bylaws that govern these situations.
The hope is to give city staff more power and the ability to act faster.
As it stands, city staff can’t go onto the property until it is deemed a health hazard, which is why things were allowed to degenerate to this level.
“Houses should not get to this state of repair where you can see a jack holding it up,” she said.
Toronto Municipal Licensing and Standards officials did not return a request for an interview Friday.
Krasowski meanwhile, knows he’s in for a long wait no matter how the issue is finally resolved.
He’s hung on this long, but isn’t sure how much longer he can wait around for the city to do something.
“This home will not be fixed by the owner, that much has been made clear.”
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