15 to 18 people are needing help to find a new home after two rooming houses are being shut down in the next two weeks.
Big Hearts Small City President Jason Surette says last Wednesday the Moncton Fire Department told him the buildings on Dominion Street were no longer safe.
He has been reaching out to other organizations to coordinate help.
“We’ve already contacted YMCA ReConnect, Harvest House, and House of Nazareth to put us all on kind of standby to assist these people if any of the 15 to 18 people come in to one of our organizations,” says Surette.
Surette says they are looking to find rooms or apartments for all the former residents, as well as financial support to provide them with damage deposits.
“We’re trying to put together a list of other rooms that are available to rent in the Greater Moncton area so we can match these rooms to these clients so we can get them rehoused as fast as possible,” says Surette.
He adds finances are a major stumbling block.
“For example, if we have to house 15 people, and give them all help with $400 deposits, that would be $6,000 to be able to get these people to move into new housing,” says Surette. “Most of these people are low income and they don’t have the extra money to put damage deposits on new accommodations.”
Surette adds most of the people are both older men and women with a few young people, but as far as he knows no families.
