The Squamish Manor community is "in tatters," according to residents, as it deals with the eviction of an elderly woman accused of physically assaulting other residents.
Along with serving an eviction notice, administrators at Squamish Manor have been forced to hire additional security personnel to quell residents' fears, according to administrator Laura Modray.
"I've had to bring in extra security because all of the tenants here in the Manor are terrified," said Modray. "A bunch of them won't leave their suites unless they have someone to walk them to the mailbox."
RCMP Cpl. Dave Ritchie confirmed a police report was filed in late December indicating a physical altercation took place between a 60-year-old female and a 78-year-old female on the premises of the Third Avenue affordable housing facility on Dec. 24.
The RCMP are currently still investigating the matter and although no criminal charges have been laid so far, Ritchie explained someone could still be charged.
"In general we will investigate anything that's reported and determine it's validity or not and go from there."
Modray said she had to serve the eviction notice after the woman physically assaulted a female tenant.
"I'm actually trying to proceed and expedite it [the eviction] quicker because there is so much fear here among the tenants."
The alleged aggressor, Samantha (not her real name) said the encounter was a situation that got out of hand when she confronted another resident, Marianne (not her real name) about her husband's unwanted sexual advances.
"She was grabbing at my nose with her long fingernails and everything to claw my nose off. And she grabbed me and pinched me the same way in the arm. So finally I punched her just below the glasses. I wasn't planning to do any damage.
"It's just like 'Stop. That's the end of it.' And I stepped away She stepped in and said 'You bitch,'" Samantha added with a laugh.
Marianne had been left with a black eye and would not comment to The Chief newspaper because, according to Modray, she's "terrified" of speaking to anyone other than the police at this time.
One former Squamish Manor resident said Samantha has spit and backhand slapped other residents in the last few months.
Samantha doesn't deny getting physical during altercations with other seniors, although she claims they were done in self-defence.
"I think it has to go public because it's gotten way out of hand. I'm being evicted for assault when I was assaulted first and it was self-defence," she said.
"I've been abused by people and they say I've abused them. It's a long story. I've been here three years and I've been a very nice person. I've done everything I possibly can to make this place a nice place to live and they don't want me anymore."
Modray said Samantha's behaviour has become increasingly physically aggressive over the last six months since she was asked not to volunteer in the communal kitchen.
"She was a really good tenant for two and a half years and then about six months ago complaints started coming in she wouldn't serve some people tea, she would take away their tea cups before they were done, just little things and then it started to escalate."
Samantha said she wants to continue living at the facility and is fighting the eviction notice.
In the meantime one resident said many other residents who are older are very fearful of hallways and elevators with Samantha still residing in the building.
"You see the person who has done these things is obviously very, very troubled and she has my sympathy but what worries me is this person can be very courteous, she can be very normal, she can be very helpful, but nobody knows what she will be like the next time."
One resident who has lived at the Manor on and off for several years said she believes Samantha has some serious mental health problems, which need to be adequately addressed. And asking her not to use the common rooms, including the lounge, is inadequate.
"This is a disturbed personality and you're now leaving her to her own defences and she's had her whole life changed she's now being told you can't talk to anybody and you can't come out of your room.
"Excuse me but isn't that a red flag? How much are you taking note of how she's feeling? What she's thinking? What she's doing? She's going to burn the place down or what?"
In a statement released to the media on Thursday (Jan. 7), the board of directors of the Squamish Senior Citizens Housing Society explained the limitations they face when dealing possible mental illness.
"There are times when the effects of aging bring on various physical and/or mental conditions to individual tenants. On occasion these seniors with health issues impact the wider residential community to the extent that they conflict with the orderly operation of our complex. We do try our best to cope with these tenants but we lack the mandate, capacity and budget to provide much beyond keeping an eye on them while attempting to get others such as extended family and government agencies engaged.
"We have seen an increase in the number of 'needy' tenants in recent years and this exasperates the situation. Eviction is an unfortunate mode of action, particularly for a senior, but this is a complicated equation at times. We have very few options available to us."
