'PROBLEM HOUSE' TRIES PATIENCE

Hope Mayor Wilfried Vicktor says the district is "doing some pretty
good work" in an attempt to clean up the problem property at 323
Allison Avenue.

"I'm as sick to my stomach as anyone about it," he says.

The house has long been an issue for the district, police and
community members due to the high number of drug-related offences,
assaults and other serious crimes. The issue is a hot topic once
again, and an angry group of residents and home owners rallied in the
street last week to call attention to their plight.

But the mayor hopes that group can be patient and trust "the process."

Even though it may not be moving along quickly enough, it is moving
along, he says.

The district has no legal grounds to remove the house at this point.
Doing so, he says, would put the District of Hope at risk of
litigation by the homeowner.

"We've heard all sorts of interesting suggestions, but the district
does not have the latitude to take a vigilante approach," he
explains. "The lead organizer of the (residents') group needs to
contact the district hall to see where it's at."

"We can't bulldoze it unless the house is structurally unsound," he
says, and they don't have the legal grounds to deem the house unsafe.
"If any district was to do that (unjustly demolish a house), they
would have to compensate the owner for the cost of the new building."

So, even though he says "it would be nice to take that hardline
approach" it would cost Hope at least $200,000.

That money would go directly to the homeowner of the property in
question, which Constable Barb Vincent told The Standard has been a
major concern for police forces here.

The police, and the district, have always followed up on all concerns
regarding 323 Allison Avenue, Vicktor adds.

"The RCMP or the district is there every day or every other day,
dealing with problems," he said Monday.

He hopes that work is realized by residents, even those who are fed
up with the district.

"The majority of people that I talk to recognize it is not an easy
problem to deal with," he says.

He says there "a number of remedies" that the district is working on
regarding the Allison Avenue property. He also said he would have
attended the street rally held last week, had he been informed in
time. Even so, he was scheduled to be at a recreation committee
meeting at the same time.

While the person in charge of the group that is fighting district
council over the issue did not want to comment in the paper at this
time, the mayor had this to say:

"The more time we spend we fighting each other, the less time we have
to fight the criminals. And we only have so much money."

For those who have any questions or concerns regarding by-laws or
nuisance properties, he suggests that the very first step would be to
contact District of Hope's CAO Brian Woodward, or the mayor directly.

Woodward says at the present time, there is no occupany permit in
place at the house, due to construction that is supposed to be taking place.

"He's not allowed any occupancy and we monitor it daily," he said.
"We have been pursuing and enforcing these bylaws ever since I
arrived in town, over three months ago.

"This house was in a different state over the past year, there has
been a tremendous amount of bylaw enforcement and a tremendous amount
of police enforcement," he said.

There is a building permit in place, and the owner has two years to
complete the work set out.

But during that time, the property will be under strict watch of an
inspector, who will decide if and when someone can occupy the house.

"They are allowed to go in there during the day and work," he says.
No one is allowed to permanently reside, or sleep there.