'Big happy family' no more as last of evicted Airport Inn tenants pack their things

The once lively porch of the Airport Inn on the outskirts of Fredericton is now full of empty chairs.

The motel's residents are packing up their belongings after living for more than three weeks without power and water.

The Airport Inn has offered affordable housing for more than 20 years, but after the motel in Lincoln failed an electrical check, the power and well water were shut off in June. Tenants have been told to find other accommodations.

Some former tenants, like Heather Lantz, have found a more permanent place to go.

"It's sad too because we were all like family," she said. "We're all happy to go, but we're all sad to go, but we're glad to be gone because of the conditions."

She's lived at the Airport Inn for seven years and never thought this would be the way it would end. 

"I've worked all my life. Never in my lifetime did I think this would happen. I don't know how a human can do this to another human."

WATCH | Tenants leaving Airport Inn say they'll miss the community the most: 

Airport Inn tenants pack up to move, some with nowhere to go

8 hours ago

Duration 2:21

Some former tenants of the Fredericton motel have found a place to stay, but others are still looking.

The province's Department of Public Safety found "significant safety concerns" at the Lincoln building and shut the power off on June 20. 

Owner Yingchun Su notified tenants the next day that they would have to find other accommodations.

Lantz is moving to an apartment in Oromocto she found with help from the N.B. Housing Corp. She said her new landlord welcomed her with a care package on her moving day.

The corporation also provided security at the motel for residents. 

"We [had] security here, but you worry at night, you never know what's gonna come walking through that door," Micheal Mugford said.

Mugford lived at the Airport Inn for 14 years and had worked in Ontario at Hostess, now known as Frito Lay, before he retired and moved to New Brunswick. 

He is the last resident to find an apartment in Gagetown and said the first thing he'll do when he gets the keys, is take a shower. 

"I can't wait," he said. "We used to be like one big happy family, and it's changed now."

Both the Department of Social Development and the New Brunswick Housing Corporation said in an email statement that it has "been working together to support tenants" at the Inn. 

"Some tenants were able to secure alternate living arrangements on their own, and others were offered tempororary housing at a local hotel through the Canadian Red Cross."

In the days following the power and water disconnections at the site, the statement said, "Social Development directed the Canadian Red Cross to make water and portable toilets available to residents."

Since the last tenant has now moved out, the statement said "those resources are expected to be removed from the site."

"The services of a security company have been retained by government in order to ensure people's property remains safe and secure."

Some former tenants are living with family.

Peter Carr moved in with his sister but still has nowhere to put all his furniture. He picked up the last of his belongings to put in a storage unit he rented.

"I came to see if I had any mail and to see if anyone broke in here … I roam around looking for places during the day."

Carr said he's made a plan to find a two-bedroom apartment and become roommates with his former next door neighbour at the motel. 

"Never thought at my age I'd have a roommate, but it's just too expensive to live alone. I thought I'd be dying in this place. I didn't plan on ever moving."