Old Ottawa South tenants fear losing homes as landlords plan 92-unit redevelopment

Twenty-three tenants in Old Ottawa South learned in August they may lose their homes as early as next spring when landlords plan to demolish the rent-controlled townhomes at 551 Riverdale Avenue and build a four-storey, 92-unit rental building in their place.

The townhomes were built in 1967 as a Centennial project and are now among the few affordable rentals in a neighbourhood where home prices exceed $1 million and three-bedroom market rent reaches $3,500 monthly. Each unit has three bedrooms, two storeys, a basement, ground-floor entrance and parking. Tenants include healthcare workers, service workers, musicians, students, two home-based daycares, and residents who tend gardens on the property. Several have lived there for decades.

Linda Thom, 82, is a former Olympian after whom Linda Thom Park is named. She has occupied her unit for 51 years. "It was just a big shock," she told the source. "We just felt like we'd been punched really hard in the stomach. Quite a few of us have been here a number of years."

Landlords Marcus and Thomas Saikaley say the property is "aging and flood-vulnerable" and needs upgrades. In a statement, they said they do not intend to ask residents to leave until they are prepared to proceed, and "There are still many months, potentially longer, before we expect to have greater certainty on the timing." They also stated the redevelopment is "well-conceived" and consistent with provincial and municipal housing policies, and that they are "a small, family-run company" with genuine local investment.

Tenants received a letter in August warning they might need to leave as soon as spring. Thom watched the Saikaley brothers grow up in the community. The landlords say no official notice has been given.