The former CJAV building on upper Third has once again been hit with a Do Not Occupy order from the city.
Port Alberni Fire Chief Mike Owens said he made the call after touring the building and seeing load bearing walls and posts had been removed, putting the building in danger of collapse.
“The structural stability could be compromised due to the load-bearing walls and posts being removed, and while I absolutely agree that our most vulnerable community members need to be housed, that housing needs to be safe,” he said. “We can’t have one standard of safety for people who have money, and another standard of safety for people who don’t.”
Owens said people were living in the downstairs area, and beds for a dozen people were being prepared for rental by building owner Randy Brown.
As city officials made the order, people on scene captured an interaction between a city bylaw officer and the building owner on video, where profanity could be heard.
The bylaw officer and city issued an apology for the incident yesterday.
Owens said he’ll be leading a deeper analysis of the building this morning with city building inspectors, bylaw officers, and Brown.
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