‘Deplorable’ living conditions

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Niagara Falls regional councillor Selina Volpatti is promising to take action after taking a tour of a motel with CHCH News in Niagara Falls. She described the conditions as “deplorable.”

The motel on the corner of Valley Way and Stanley Avenue is about a 5 minute drive to the falls. Boarded up windows, falling ceilings and faulty plumbing are just some of the conditions inside the units, but for some tenants it is all they can afford.

“I am going to be bringing it to the attention of Niagara Falls city council and lets hope we can do something to make the landlord at least be responsible for what he is offering his tenants, which is not very much.” Councillor Selina Volpatti.

Of the 16 000 hotel and motel rooms in Niagara Falls, some are rented out months at a time. Most of the tenants on Valley Way are on government assistance and pay $500- $650 a month for a room.

According to the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, about 4 million Canadians can’t afford proper housing in Canada and destination cities are the most vulnerable.

“There is a very huge service industry in these kinds of cities, Niagara Falls, same in Las Vegas, where people come in they are not earning a lot of money but because of the high demand they cannot afford housing and incase of Niagara Falls people are living in motels because they can’t find permanent housing.” Nicholas Gazzard, Co-operative Housing Federation.

The owner of the property told CHCH he treats his properties like his babies and that he is a certified engineer, before he hung up.