It appears that long-term residents at the Kozy Inn on Kingston’s Princess Street have won the first round in a battle with the owners.
All the residents had until 11 a.m. Sunday to vacate the premises, yet most of them are staying.
The 11 a.m. deadline came and went, and at least one resident could be seen leaving the property – loading items into the back of a car.
Kingston police visited the location before the deadline, after residents complained that the water and hydro were shut off.
An hour later, services were restored.
Now it appears to be a stand-off between the residents and the owners of the Kozy Inn — a battle that will now be played out in court.
“If we have nowhere to go, it’s going to back in the bushes (in a tent)”, says resident James Mills.
Those bushes are on municipal land behind the Partners in Mission Food Bank on Hickson Ave.
Mills has lived at the Kozy Inn for about 18 months.
The residents, including his partner Carol Carless, were asked to vacate their rooms, via a letter on Tuesday.
“I asked for a couple more days. And I was told no,” said Mills. “We are trying to get a place and no one wants to rent to us because we have the dogs,” he said.
The couple has four dogs.
“They have rights under the Residential Tenancies Act,” says lawyer John Done.
Done is the Executive Director of the Kingston Community Legal Clinic.
Done is representing 10 of the residents and says the Kozy Inn has historically described itself as a motel – but recently it has been operating as low-income housing.
Therefore, Done feels the Kozy Inn should fall under the Residential Tenancies Act.
“This isn’t a motel. It’s not an inn,” says Done, “it’s a place that has long-term rentals to low-income people.
“Many of whom are vulnerable.”
According to a statement, the owners of the Kozy Inn say they are well within the law – closing the business operation because of “tremendous financial stress and debt.”
“It will suspend operations this winter and has notified guests accordingly pursuant to the provisions of the Province of Ontario’s Inn Keepers Act,” says John Dunn, the manager of the property, reading the statement.
Moak added that the matter will now go before Divisional Court at a later date.
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