'Something's got to change': West Broadway tenant suspects assaults tied to drug dealing activity in building

A West Broadway resident is speaking out after suffering two assaults he believes are tied to drug dealing activity in his building, where he says property management failed to address nearly a year of complaints until this week.

Todd Donohue lives in a suite in a multi-unit low income housing co-op on Winnipeg's Langside Street. Continued safety concerns have him at his wit's end.

"I'm at the end of my rope — what do I do?" said Donohue, a long-time housing, addictions and community advocate in West Broadway. "Something's got to change."

Donohue is recovering from a serious concussion after he was assaulted last week on or near the property, though his memory of what happened is murky.

He was previously knocked unconscious just outside the property as he was coming home one night earlier this month. Police confirm someone matching his description was hospitalized following an assault on July 3.

Donohue is confident both assaults are tied to drug dealing activity associated with one suite his building.

'I'm brutally aware'

High foot traffic and noise have been issues there for a year, he said. Given his background in advocacy work, half a dozen neighbours approached Donohue over a span of months to see if he knew what was going on.

"When you see 120 people show up at a house in a span of 10 hours, you get a sense of what's going on," he said. "I'm brutally aware."

He approached a tenant of the suite months ago about the noise and number of people coming through. Nothing changed.

Donohue has raised concerns several times with the property manager, SAM Management, since last August. High turnover has meant he's dealt with several different caretakers, and each time they've asked him to refile the complaints, he said.

Frustrated by the lack of movement, a few months ago he approached the Bear Clan, which he has volunteered with in the past. The Winnipeg police guns and gang unit also raided the suite and arrested a tenant around this time, Donohue said, though police wouldn't confirm that or whether the building is under investigation.

The tenant was released and back living in the building days later and the activity resumed, he said. That prompted Donohue to reach out to the public safety investigations unit through Manitoba Justice about a month ago.

Safer communities act

Under the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, residents can reach out to the investigations unit, which can evict tenants suspected of being engaged in illegal activity such as dealing drugs. They still hold the right to evict for "situations where unlawful activity is occurring," despite a general prohibition on evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, said a government spokesperson.

Members of that unit visited recently but the tenants refused to let them in, said Donohue.

The spokesperson said the public safety unit is aware of his concerns and is working with the property manager to address it.

The building is owned by the Westminster Housing Society, a charity that connects low-income tenants with rental options they can afford. The property is managed by SAM Management.

That non-profit corporation manages more than 60 properties in Winnipeg, including co-ops, family and Manitoba Housing units, and accommodations for seniors.

'I totally understand the frustration'

General manager Laurie Socha said Tuesday she couldn't speak to the details of Donohue's specific complaint, citing privacy issues.

But she said as crystal meth has become more common in Winnipeg in the past few years, the sale of the drug in rental properties, along with the activity that comes with it, has created a larger challenge property managers are struggling to manage.

She suggested it's not as easy as simply evicting someone due to complaints.

"I totally understand the frustration of the tenant," said Socha.

"This is a prime example where you've got police involved, you've got a property manager involved, we've got [the public safety investigations unit] involved but still the problem is not resolved."

WATCH | Todd Donohue details year of complaints:

Property manager slow to address drug dealing in building, resident says

4 years ago

Duration 3:00

Todd Donohue is speaking out after he says nearly a year's worth of complaints about suspected drug dealing activity in his building that he says his property manager failed to address, until this week.

In the hours after CBC News contacted S.A.M. management, Donohue said a caretaker arrived and told him the tenant was being evicted. Socha confirmed Wednesday the eviction process is underway.

That's a promising sign, said Donohue, though he feels somewhat dejected that it took a year for anything to happen.

'Addiction is a health issue'

After a decade working with vulnerable populations, including the homeless and those living with addictions, Donohue said he doesn't blame people who buy or use drugs for the incidents he's experienced in the building.

He thinks some of the bigger issues at play could be solved if people who use were provided with access to a safe supply of drugs, at a safe consumption site under the supervision of health professionals.

"Everything that I've been through — even though it's in my face every day, even though I've been attacked — I'm still of the belief that there should be more services for people that are using; they shouldn't be criminalized," he said.

"They're as much a victim as the next person that's using a drug or alcohol or an opiate of some kind," said Donohue. "Addiction is a health issue. It's not a criminal issue."