Boards are now up at 611 Kennedy St., which neighbours allege is a long-standing problem house. (Clint Smith/Facebook)

By Spencer Sterritt

problem house

Second problem house boarded up in Nob Hill neighbourhood

Sep 21, 2020 | 6:03 AM

NANAIMO — Continued community action led to a second problem house in the Nob Hill neighbourhood being boarded up.

The house at 611 Kennedy St. was boarded up on Sept. 15 after being attended by Nanaimo bylaw officers. It’s the second problem house to be knocked down after squatters were booted from 560 Milton St.

Area resident Sam Davies, who lives at 602 Kennedy St., said the Milton St. house being knocked down led to an increase at the Kennedy St. house.

“It’s hard to see these as two separate issues,” he said, since train tracks essentially link the two houses. “It’s unfortunate these houses are just moving elsewhere.”

Davies said the Kennedy St. house was also a prime location for both criminal and nuisance activity, with both the front and rear entries facing a street and easily accessible.

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“I’ve got a bullet hole in one of my windows. My dogs sometimes start barking and growling in the middle of the night. I’ve definitely ended up out there telling people to turn their music off at 3 a.m. on a Tuesday.”

The two houses are boarded up after a nearly five month awareness campaign by area residents about problem houses.

Davies said the COVID-19 pandemic brought a significant number of issues to the forefront, with many residents staying home and seeing more of the action happening on their street.

“People sitting on the edge of their driveway six feet apart, having a drink on a Saturday night and noticing ‘Hey, there’s a lot of cars coming and going from that house.’ There’s power in being around and hanging out.”

The Nob Hill area between Albert St. and Victoria Rd. is packed with older character homes, many of which fell into disrepair.

Despite the criminal element in the neighbourhood, Davies said he’s previously rundown houses be renovated and new construction in the area.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @SpencerSterritt