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BC  

'Unfit to live in'

The City of Vancouver is closing the notorious single-room occupancy Regent Hotel.

The East Hastings site has long been the subject of complaints from neighbouring businesses and has been deemed unsafe to live in.

The building has been condemned, the city says, and occupants must leave by June 28.

The Regent's low-income residents will be moved into safer accommodations, the city announced at a joint news conference with provincial Housing Minister Selina Robinson.

"After many years of deplorable negligence by the owners ... the city and province must intervene for the safety and well-being of tenants," Mayor Gregor Robertson said.

More than 1,000 bylaw violations have been reported in recent years; almost half have gone to court.

Residents will be moved to the new Jubilee Rooms, in two adjacent buildings the city purchased for $12.5 million.

The buildings will be monitored by RainCity Housing, and tenants will have access to 24/7 support services.

– with files from CTV Vancouver

 



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