Repairs to home for people with mental illness were not as expensive as Fraser Health said, FOI documents show

This story is part of Situation Critical, a series from CBC British Columbia reporting on the barriers people in this province face in accessing timely and appropriate health care.

Nearly a dozen people at an assisted living facility for people with mental illnesses in B.C. say their local health authority exaggerated the true cost of renovations to justify closing their space so the building could be sold.

Residents at Lina's Place in New Westminster, B.C., said a series of emails obtained through a freedom of information (FOI) request shows the cost to repair their building last year was less than $20,000 — not the $100,000 they say they were originally given as the explanation for a potential closure.

"Fraser Health kind of gaslighted [the price] to be way more than it actually is," said resident Alison Chow.

"I felt they took us on a ride, honestly."

Residents and their families received the FOI documents after a request last fall and later shared them with CBC News. The tight-knit group said the new information added anger to the unnecessary stress, anxiety and fear they felt when they thought they'd have to split up and move somewhere else this summer.

"I thought I was gonna lose my family, and nobody would care," said another resident, Tim Williams.

Mould found in single bedroom, Fraser Health says

The discussions around the future of Lina's Place began after staff found mould in one of the facility's bedrooms after a resident moved out in 2020, according to the health authority.

Last July, all 11 residents got notices saying the duplex would be shut down permanently in a year to deal with "unspecified" renovations. The building would then be sold by B.C. Housing "based on the need for a newer building and for funding for more choices in housing programs."

The plan changed after CBC News reported on residents' concerns in September.

Residents were told they would still have to move out temporarily while the home was closed for necessary repairs, but they would eventually be allowed to move back if they chose.

After the back-and-forth, residents' families filed the FOI requests for an engineering report they say Fraser Health had referenced in its explanations.

The families said they understood the report estimated it would cost $100,000 to repair moisture and mould issues.

The paper trail they received from the FOIs told a different story.

Subject line changes to discuss closure

A report in December 2021 said the building needed just under $20,000 in repairs — $5,900 to address rot in the building's exterior and just over $13,000 to repair the roof.

Fraser Health and B.C. Housing started discussing whether to rezone Lina's Place to accommodate a higher density of residents in March 2022, an email showed. The subject line in the emails changed and started mentioning a "closure" that May after staff learned they could not add any more than three beds to the existing facility.

Staff started working on a plan to inform residents in June.

"[It feels] very, very deceptive," said resident Jeff MacPherson.

"I think they wanted to shut it down so they could make some money and split it with B.C. Housing. They would sell the house itself and the property because I'm sure it's worth a couple of dollars."

The 21-year-old structure has more than quadrupled in value since it was purchased in 2002, according to B.C. Assessment records. Taken together, the two sides of the duplex have been assessed at about $2.6 million.

A subsequent comprehensive inspection last November found no safety risks for residents and staff, nor any mould.

In a statement, Fraser Health said it decided moving residents and shutting down Lina's Place "would be the best course of action" because both of their options at the time — renovations or redevelopment — would've required a "significant" investment. 

"A subsequent, comprehensive building evaluation report revealed that while Lina's Place requires some repairs, there are no safety risks for residents and staff, and repairs will be less extensive than originally thought. As a result, residents do not have to relocate," it said in a statement.

"We know that the prospect of having to relocate to a new home caused distress for residents and their families, as well as Lina's Place staff. We regret this impact and look forward to ensuring continuity of care and services to residents at Lina's Place."

Before the decision was made to eventually reopen Lina's Place, B.C. Housing has said the proceeds from selling the duplex would be reinvested into new services in the region.

"If this is the government's intent to try to close some of these independent homes down, these type of group homes down, in favour of some other model, then they need to be transparent about that," said Elenore Sturko, the B.C. United critic for mental health.

"To me, It's clearly misinformation. It's only through the due diligence of family members and people living in Lina's Place that they were able to get to the truth."

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside said she would be meeting with residents to discuss the situation.

"I recognize the distress this uncertainty has caused the residents and their families," she wrote. "Throughout this process, I have become close to the clients and their families and deeply appreciate their insights and their friendship."