Threats in the hall, blood on the floor: 'Trauma Tower' racks up most police calls in Kingston

Tracey Nicholson cried tears of joy when her 11-year wait for social housing in Kington, Ont., finally ended with an apartment at 381 Bagot St.

But the 57-year-old said conditions inside the building eventually shattered her mental health and made her so scared she was driven to sleep in a Walmart parking lot in the middle of winter. She spent three freezing nights in her car before forcing herself to return to her apartment.

Nicholson still refuses to sleep in her bedroom because it’s the smallest space in her unit, opting instead for the couch because there’s more room to escape should someone break in.

"When it gets dark, my fear level goes up to like an eight or a nine," she said. "I am terrified."

Nicholson describes being woken by the sound of someone screaming threats in the hallway as a regular occurrence, and said carrying naloxone to reverse overdoses has become part of her everyday life.

A can of spray meant to scare off attacking coyotes is clipped to her keys. Nicholson said every time she goes out the door, her finger is on the trigger.

Three and a half years after moving in, those tears of relief have turned to frustration and fear.

"I call it Trauma Tower, and my tongue is nowhere near my cheek when I say that," Nicholson said.

With 104 units, the orange brick highrise is the largest residence run by the Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation (KFHC). It’s also a hotbed for emergency services, racking up more calls to police this year than any other address in the city, by a wide margin.

CEO Mary Lynn Cousins Brame acknowledged "multiple issues" at the building, and said KFHC is working to improve security there. The corporation plans to install an automated locking system similar to hotel keycards at its properties in January, starting with 381 Bagot St..

"We hear you," she said, addressing tenants. "We know what you're going through. We're going through it each day with you."

However, Cousins Brame said residents have a responsibility to look after their own safety, too.

"When they're in their unit, they need to ensure that their door is locked and they’re not out wandering late at night in the hallways," she advised.

News articles show a long history of complaints and police activity at the building, including reports of drug use, prostitution and a deceased fetus found in a stairwell.