WATERLOO — Frustrated students piled into the Schembri Property Management office with letters in hand demanding their deposits back for housing that was promised them.
Developer Gordon Schembri wasn't there, but an office worker took the letters and about 50 students and some parents clapped as they left the Columbia Street West building peacefully.
"I think they got the message this time," said Geetha Gnana, who took a day off work in Mississauga to join her son in Waterloo to march to the Schembri office.
Her son, Arjun, signed a lease with Schembri and paid $1,450 in first and last month's rent as well as a deposit. He lived in a hotel for two days and is now at another student housing luxury highrise on Lester Street.
Arjun and the other students who signed a lease with Schembri want their money back.
Alex Diceanu of Waterloo Public Interest Research Group, who organized the action, lead the march and told the office staff that the students were walking away from their leases.
"They have been given the runaround. This is a breach of their contract," Diceanu said.
Students signed a lease with the expected occupancy date being in September. However, when students arrived for school earlier this month, the building was far from done. One Columbia, the 22-storey apartment building at the corner of King Street North and Columbia Street West, remains unfinished.
Diceanu said students are busy with their studies and mid-terms will be coming soon.
"They shouldn't be worrying about this," he said.
"It's completely ridiculous what they are doing," said student Ismail Mian.
The second-year accounting and financial management student also lives at My Rez at 181 Lester St. He said he was able to find housing elsewhere because his parents helped with the deposit at the new place. But many of his friends are staying in hotels that are being offered by Schembri.
Julie Mattell's son was at Homewood Suites in St. Jacob's. He had to share a room with another student and be shuttled back and forth to school.
"I have made this my mission," said Mattell, whose son is moving into a student highrise on Lester Street.
Tia Vu, a global business and digital arts student at Waterloo, is also moving to My Rez.
"I'm still frustrated but to have my own place, I feel much better," said Vu, who's from San Francisco.
"I've been really stressed and exhausted," said Vu, who lived at Homewood Suites for the past two weeks. "I need this weekend to rest and do homework."
Students received an email earlier this week from Schembri Property Management informing them that some of the windows were installed and a few elevators were functioning, but a move-in date was not suggested.
Mitchell Snaith, a second-year math and finance student at the University of Waterloo, is living with a friend until One Columbia is ready.
"I lucked out living in a nice house where there is space for me. I'm living with my friend for free," he said.
"I feel frustration for my friends. Some of them are having a hard time with school, taking a bus back and forth to a hotel at night," he said.
Some students are being forced to move to a hotel in Guelph for the weekend because the local hotel they're staying at had rooms pre-booked for this weekend.
Alberto Menendez, property owner of My Rez at 181 Lester St., said about 50 students from One Columbia have signed leases at his building. The 18-floor apartment building opened on Aug. 12 and students are still moving into the five-bedroom units.
Menendez, who's been involved in student housing in Waterloo for 32 years, said he's glad he was able to accommodate students so they weren't living in hotels.
"This is added stress they don't need," said Menendez, a graduate of Waterloo's engineering program. "In my 32 years, I've never had these issues. It's not pleasant."
Menendez said he has been receiving many phone calls and emails and his staff is at the office some nights until 10 p.m. trying to accommodate students who need a home.
