Full Breakdown
St. John’s Apartment Building Shut Down After Criminal Takeover
By Drooid · · How we work
City Action and Immediate Conditions
The City of St. John’s ordered the closure of the 60-unit building at 91 Brazil Street after deeming it unfit for habitation. By the time of the shutdown, squatters occupied stairwells, drug use was pervasive, and the structure lacked a working sprinkler system. Residents reported a parking-lot shooting and a day-long standoff when a man inside was suspected of carrying a weapon. The city’s declaration of a safety hazard forced all tenants to vacate the property.
Background and Escalation
Originally known as Harbourview Apartments and intended for men 55 and older, the building’s tenant criteria were later broadened to include men and women of various ages. Former superintendent Jason van Vianen said the policy change “escalated violence and drug use.” He described personal injuries—including lost teeth and scars—and recounted assaults by non-tenants in hallways. Van Vianen, who managed the property for seven years under multiple management firms, said he received no support to address the growing criminal activity.
Official Statements & Responses
City officials labeled the property a “hazardous dwelling” and ordered its immediate closure. Cogir, the property-management company that assumed control in mid-September, issued a statement that all “conforming tenants” had been re-housed and that the new owner was refurbishing the building to restore it as affordable rental housing. A spokesperson for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation said the agency fielded increased calls to its emergency shelter line after the shutdown and offered accommodations to eligible individuals.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Just to tell someone, 'please get out of my apartment,' could end up in an assault,” — Bernie Woodford
- “To me that's unfair to place hardened criminals in an environment like that where you can control the vulnerable, and people are highly addicted to cocaine... it's not a very manageable situation,” — Bernie Woodford
- “We see a lot of residential unit takeovers that turn into trap houses all across the city.” — Pawson Doug Pawson, of End Homelessness St
- “ "Since assuming management, we have actively collaborated with the City of St.” — Cogir