A member of city council wants to know if the vacant home tax can be used to spur movement when it comes to a downtown Windsor apartment building that's been empty since a fire five years ago.
During Monday's council meeting, Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino asked administration for a report on the status of occupancy at Westcourt Place and any litigation, and any efforts the city can enforce through the vacant home tax to discourage prolonged vacancy in these circumstances.
On Nov. 12, 2019, a fire in the garage at Westcourt Place quickly spread throughout the building, forcing a full evacuation and displacing nearly 200 residents.
The building at the corner of Chatham Street East and Goyeau Street has remained empty since then.
Agostino says there's housing units sitting empty in downtown Windsor.
"I'd like to know what is going on. Why isn't that building occupied? If there's a reason or something that the city can do to help, we should. It looks like we're in a housing crisis, obviously, and there's housing there for people," he says.
Agostino says he wants to know if the vacant home tax would help.
"Is it possible to go unit by unit in there and say, 'Hey, if you don't get things moving, we're going to have to do whatever we can, whatever tools we have in our toolbox to be able to move faster and get it done.' But also, at the same time, if there's something we can do to help, let us know," he says.
Agostino says he wants to see if they can use the tax as a tool.
"I'm certainly not trying to chase down apartment building and landlord owners. I'm looking at people who don't seem to be moving the needle here, and it's taking quite some time," he says.
There are 166 units and 30 commercial offices in the building.
According to CTV Windsor, a $35 million class-action lawsuit by the Windsor law firm Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP was certified in February 2022.
Lawyer Harvey Strosberg hopes a judge will meet with lawyers for all parties in January. If tenants and Westcourt’s insurance company can agree on financial terms, Strosberg expects tenants could be paid by next June.