A Vancouver property manager is expressing frustration with Vancouver City Hall regarding graffiti and garbage cleanup.
The property manager is Sean Lenihan, and we spoke to him before newly elected Ken Sim took the throne as the new Vancouver mayor.
Following a story we did about Dressew’s windows being boarded up, we received an email from Lenihan, who wanted to share his perspective on garbage and graffiti in the city when it impacts commercial buildings.
Submitted
His frustrations were directed toward how things worked under Kennedy Stewart’s city hall, so it’ll be interesting to see if things change.
The main issue that Lenihan aims at is that taxpaying citizens are expected to clean up the sidewalks and alleys that have been littered with garbage, including syringes, condoms and even human feces.
“Tourists even stop at the alley sometimes to take a disgusting photo.”
Submitted
He went so far as to say that the previous civic government hated small businesses.
“It’s frustrating to show up to work to find that our parking garages and entryways need garbage removal just to get going. How are we supposed to remove almost daily human and animal feces when the city has to send in a specialized crew just to pick up a mattress or sofa left outback by the SRO across the alley?”
He added that the solution under the previous regime was to send in a water truck that pushed the feces, urine and other garbage “against and through our gates and under the bins.”
Lenihan spoke about other gross realities he and other property managers face.
Submitted
“If someone is passed out in our doorway with their pants down, gripping a crack pipe, curled up in a puddle of pee, there is no one to help. When they are not passed out, they are super aggressive.”
Submitted
He also recounted his brushes with violence.
“I had a syringe pulled out on me three times in one week, right at the entrance to our office building on West Hastings.”
It has almost been a whole month since Sim was elected as Vancouver’s new mayor, and he was only sworn in this week. It’ll likely take some time before we see any significant changes stemming from city hall, and it remains to be seen if property managers like Lenihan get any help from the city.
Follow Channels and Categories