UPDATE: 12:35 p.m.

Matt Taylor, who owns the small apartment building next to 377 Winnipeg Street and paid for the bailiff to carry out an eviction on the property, says issues at the property have escalated this year with a "significant amount of drug trafficking" and other illegal activity.

"We came to a situation where we felt, as a neighbour, direct involvement and bucking up some money was worth it."

Taylor says he’s been working with the landlord of 377, Raj Randhawa, who he says has committed to clean up the property.

But he says paying for the bailiff to evict the property shouldn’t have been his responsibility.

"With other landlords it might not have been necessary, probably wouldn't have been necessary. And no, it shouldn't be necessary," he says.

"But from our perspective, it's a good investment for the safety of the community, the safety of the neighbourhood and the safety of our building and our tenants."

Taylor praised cooperation from city staff and RCMP during the process.

He says it’s important for residents to support the city’s efforts to deal with vagrancy — such as a recent memo that “the party is over.”

"I think Penticton has a bit of a reputation for accepting this kind of lifestyle. And if we're going to change that, I think the community needs to show its city council and city staff that's the direction they want to go."

City staff told Castanet earlier this month its hoped the home will be boarded up once tenants are gone before the property is arrange to be cleaned up.

ORIGINAL: 10:30 a.m.

It’s moving day at 377 Winnipeg.

Bailiffs arrived Tuesday morning at the notorious problem property with moving trucks in tow to enforce an eviction order handed to the tenants of the home. Penticton RCMP and city bylaw are also on site.

It was, however, a neighbour of the home who appears to be responsible for the enforcement of the eviction order.

Matt Taylor, the owner of the apartment building next door, paid the $3,500 fee required to have the bailiff at the home. The bailiff was overheard saying, “it's done today,” to Taylor while the eviction was getting underway.

It was Taylor who brought the home before council on two occasions, complaining about suspicious activity at the home and people coming and going at all hours of the night.

The City of Penticton cut power to the home back in March, and the tenants had been relying on generators. One of the tenants told Castanet last month that she has nowhere else to live and an eviction will put her back on the streets. She claims she’s been unfairly vilified due to the actions of unwanted visitors to the home.

Castanet will update as more information becomes available.

—with files from Colton Davies