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The city of Hamilton says it has now found new homes for all the people in four residential care facilities operated by Bellbrook Meadows. The city began investigating the company earlier this year, when it found homes were being run without a license, then city workers discovered that conditions were unlivable.
The tenants have now all vacated the group home on Balsam Avenue in Hamilton. Pat Murray-Smith says the three homes beside her were once all connected. They’ve been a group home the whole two decades she’s lived next door.
“It changed over the years as the owners changed. It seemed to us to almost become a halfway house, which was bothersome at times.”
Bellbrook Meadows was running four residential care facilities in Hamilton. In February, the city learned not all the properties were licensed for residential care and after an investigation, the other licences were cancelled.
“There are situations where staff have not recieved pay, they haven’t been showing up for shifts. In which case the city has had to step in and provide direct supervision on one of the homes. Overnight in one case.” Ann Lamanes, City of Hamilton.
This month, the city offered to relocate all 44 residents and will be in their new homes by tomorrow. Bellbrook Meadows did not respond to interview requests. The city says it is tallying the cost of taking on the company’s responsibilities and it will try to get restitution.