Hamilton family blocked from driveway since February due to city fence around neighbour’s house

A north end family’s driveway has been commandeered by the City of Hamilton since February, and there’s no end in sight.

They tell CHCH News, the house next door has been condemned, but city staff are taking forever to come up with a solution.

Katy Belaire and her husband haven’t been able to use their Weir Street North driveway since February.

The pipes burst in the house next door in January while it was vacant. The city then had this fence erected around it because of fears it would collapse.

READ MORE: Hamilton resident concerned about neighbour’s house collapsing

The fence goes right down the middle of the Belaire’s driveway.

“This is a mess, since February this fence has been put on my property without my permission. They said the home is about to collapse, which I find it ridiculous, my property is right next door,” said Belaire.

Katy Belaire says she’s tired of playing the waiting game. She just wants the city to come tear this house down so she can get her driveway back.”

“I just want my property back, I really do. I don’t even care if they tear it down or not. Just give me my property back because it’s not funny or fair anymore,” said Belaire.

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CHCH News reached out to the woman who bought this house in August of last year for $470,000. The first time home buyer says she was given two mortgages on the property.

She wouldn’t go on camera, but says she couldn’t afford it, and feels like she was tricked into buying it.

According to Belaire, the bank owns the home now and she worries it’s just a target.

Ward 4 Councillor Tammy Hwang told CHCH News in an email that she has pressed city staff to resolve this issue as soon as possible. But the cost of demolition still has to come before city council, but there’s no timeline on when that will happen.