Police calls remain high for downtown Windsor public housing high-rise — but so do hopes for the future

Fights, fires, vandalism and mental health episodes: These are some of the issues over the years at 920 Ouellette Ave., the community housing-owned high rise in downtown Windsor.

But Nolan Goyette, interim CEO of the Windsor-Essex Community Housing Corporation (WECHC), which manages the property, says things at Ouellette Manor have been getting better.

"You know, I appreciate the bad reputation the building may have. But we're seeing a lot of improvement here," Goyette said.

"We've increased our staff presence on site, which I think has made a huge impact... With our 24/7 security, having police here on every shift to just patrol the building ... Our staff like coming to 920 Ouellette. It's a very lively building."

At a city council meeting on Monday, Windsor police chief Jason Bellaire noted that 920 Ouellette receives the second-most calls for service of any address in the city.

According to Goyette, that means 10 to 20 calls for police service every day.

But Bellaire estimated that 75 per cent of those calls aren't related to crime — they're related to health and human services.

Windsor police have seen results at 920 Ouellette Ave., Bellaire said, by employing a strategy similar to the one police have used at the Glengarry Avenue buildings.

A high-visibility enforcement initiative by police at 920 Ouellette Ave. last December resulted in two arrests for drug trafficking and assault — but that was followed up with visits by crisis response teams and nurse-police teams.

"[Those teams] have a different relationship with the community than our regular police officers," Bellaire told council.

"[It's about] bringing the right people. You know the old saying: If your only tool is a hammer, then every problem is a nail."

Goyette said the nature of those calls that aren't related to crime can range from an unwanted guest, to an issue with a pet, to a chronic condition or mobility problem, to a piece of graffiti.

"What we're seeing is a vulnerable tenant base with seniors," Goyette said.

Ron Le Brun, 82, has been a resident of the building for more than 30 years. He says he remembers when Ouellette Manor was much different.

"Every big building, you got the good, you got the bad... But it's not too bad," Le Brun said. "The building is okay. The people are okay, you know? I like 'em."

According to Goyette, tenancy at Ouellette Manor is reserved for low-income people 55 years of age or older.

But 68-year-old resident James McCarte says people younger than 55 go in and out of the building all the time, with people visiting at all hours and causing disturbances. 

However, McCarte said he has noticed improvements in building security, and he agrees there's a sense of community at the building.

"I've organized activities here — Organized a coffee hour, Monday to Friday. There's a trivia game every Wednesday afternoon," he said. 

"People do better when they work together. Not when they're at each other's throats."

Goyette said the building has been affected by proximity to the Downtown Mission, which opened across the street in June 2022.

"Individuals coming over [from the Downtown Mission] trying to get warm, maybe trying to get up to a unit of someone they may be associated with," Goyette said. 

"We have most recently started to control the magnetic door lock between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. We've seen a lot of benefits with that."

82-year-old Josephine Burns has lived in the building since 2020. Though she's aware of the building's reputation, she says she hasn't felt unsafe and often travels to the local library from the bus stop in front of the building. 

"I haven't experienced anything. Oh, I shouldn't say that — Once, about a week and a half ago, a man out here on the street was going to nearly hit me. Nearly punched me in the face. But that's the only time."

The 24-storey, 400-unit building at 920 Ouellette has been one the city identified as a problem more than a decade ago. 

In 2012, a burst of violent incidents at the building prompted the city's mayor at the time, Eddie Francis and then-police chief Al Frederick to declare that a crackdown was necessary at Ouellette Manor.

More than a decade later, the building has still been in the headlines: Last summer, a man with a weapon had a standoff with police. In late December, a person died following a fire in the building.

But Goyette said incidents at 920 Ouellette Ave. have been decreasing since WECHC established staffed offices on site — including social work and security — and begun connecting tenants with healthcare supports and other public services.

"I think we've seen significant improvement to the well-being of our tenants, and also the safety of our tenants and our staff."

Goyette said WECHC continues to modernize 920 Ouellette Ave: New flooring and elevator improvements have been among the building's recent projects.

"This is a critical building for us," he said.

"We're investing to ensure the infrastructure remains viable for the long-term future."