Londoners displaced by OEV fire fear homelessness as emergency hotel stay ends

Dozens of Londoners displaced by a fire that tore through an Old East Village apartment building on Feb. 7 are now faced with finding housing on their own after their hotel stays facilitated by the Red Cross came to an end Wednesday.

Now, some say they're hoping speaking publicly about the dire situation might help find a way to avoid sleeping outside in a city with an overcrowded shelter system.

"It's a tragedy that's turning into a complete travesty," said Caroline Pugh-Roberts, one of the displaced residents. "But, you have to make do with the hand you've been dealt, and we're trying."

Roberts and about 40 other tenants were forced to leave their homes after an aggressive fire broke out in front units of the building at 753 Dundas St., earlier this month. Two cats died in the fire, and firefighters rescued two people from the building.

Fire officials initially estimated the cost of damages at $1.2 million.

Following the fire, the Canadian Red Cross put the displaced tenants up in a hotel at 374 Dundas St. After that stay was extended multiple times, those staying there were told they had to vacate by Wednesday, or pay to stay longer.

Pugh-Roberts, like other tenants who spoke to CBC News, said the support they received from the Canadian Red Cross and staff at the hotel is hugely appreciated.

Now, though, many are unsure of where they'll sleep next.

"I don't know where these people are going to go. We managed to gather a little bit of funding from what was left on our cards from Red Cross and get a room for a few of us, but as of tomorrow we're on the street," Pugh-Roberts said.

While some can look to family or temporary accommodations, many of the tenants live on low incomes or government support, or have no family to turn to, she said.

"There are no shelter beds anywhere, so I don't even think that's an option. On top of that, a good portion of these people have pets, so even if there are beds, that's not an option."

Displaced resident Matt Smith knows those concerns well. Even though he's managed to pay for a couple of extra nights at the hotel for himself, his girlfriend and their pets, he's unsure what comes next.

"It's really cold outside," he said. "Everybody is really on edge. There are older people who don't really know how to get on the phone and make contact with people to find help."

"It's really cold outside. Everybody is really on edge.- Matt Smith, displaced resident  

Both residents are also concerned about the cost of replacing necessities they've lost to smoke damage from the fire, like bedding and clothes. With no kitchen, eating out is also adding up. 

Thankfully, there's a strong sense of community amidst the shared struggle, Smith said. 

"There's been so much support. It's a really good feeling. [One woman] offered us cat food, shampoos, stuff like that," he said, mentioning GoFundMe fundraisers set up by himself and other neighbours to finance hotel stays.

Some tenants whose units haven't been destroyed have agreed to lend a hand to their less fortunate neighbours once they're able to return to the building.

"We are a small building. We're fairly close. We've talked and decided that many of us will double up in our units so everybody will have a roof," Pugh-Roberts said. 

It's unclear when those units will be habitable,but some tenants said they were told they may be able to return later next week.

"If we can get through this week, up to 40 people will no longer be homeless. All we're asking for is a week," she said.

The property management group that owns the building did not respond to CBC's requests for comment.

In the interim, Pugh-Roberts said she's hoping the City of London will step up to provide more funding and support to help tenants reach that finish line.

"We cross each bridge as we come to it. It's one step at a time, and I'm also old enough to know that this too shall pass, but we gotta get there."