Vancouver issues deadline for Murray Hotel maintenance problems

Tenants of a single room occupancy hotel in downtown Vancouver say a deadline for the managers to resolve 32 maintenance bylaw violations can't come soon enough.

The City of Vancouver said it discovered the violations when it inspected the Murray Hotel, on Hornby Street near Davie Street, on Dec. 2. 

City officials have given the hotel owners, Kenstone Properties, until Jan. 10 to fix the problems. 

"A lot of issues — showers not working, toilets, hallways are terrible, staircases smell, people's rooms are hoarded, peopled are hoarding stuff in the hallways and fire escapes," said Wade Shapley, who has lived in the building for two years.

Shapley said he pays nearly $800 for his one-bedroom apartment. But he said it's been plagued by gas leaks, mold infestations and cockroaches.

He said security in the building is so poor, his fiancée sometimes uses a bucket instead of the shared washrooms.

"People are very scared to leave their rooms at night time because some of the individuals that come here are quite dangerous," he said.

Those concerns have largely been ignored, claims Shapley, so he's moving to a place he found in Surrey in better condition, for a similar price.

But before he goes, he's speaking in the hopes conditions may improve for those still living at the Murray Hotel.

"I'd like to see some change before I leave here. I've made a lot of friends in this building," he said.

Kenstone Properties — known for its luxurious developments on Vancouver's west side — said Atira Property Management is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the hotel.

"There have been ongoing maintenance issues at the Murray, we've been working extensively to repair some outstanding building issues," said Atira building manager Adam Glover.