Poverty Awareness in York Region

Ontarians forced into an election made their choices recently handing a majority government over the the Liberals despite scandal connected to the former Premier and his dealings. The other parties gambled that striking while the irons were hot on the issue would result in victory. They were wrong.

Firstly, the NDP leader who pushed for it, Andrea Horvath, miscalculated how Ontarians felt and would vote. She should have remained patient, allowed people to get to know her a little more (likely swayed by leadership polls) and allowed the Liberal leader to possibly self destruct herself or start creating her own legacy of public funding screw ups and they might have stood some chance to at least make gains. The Conservatives pretty much sealed their fate by backing the unpopular Hudak. Very poor decisions with much predictable outcomes.

So now there are some new faces in the Ontario parliament, and locally, after a Councilor showed her true colours, even 1st timers such as Newmarket / Aurora MPP Chris Ballard, who admitted to me before the election when I met with him he hadn't much on hands knowledge of the nuances of poverty issues but was interested to engage more about them - like about the P.A.C.C. organized York Region social audit report " Behind The Masks". At least he was truthful, and that's a plus in my books.

His extent of 'experience" in this area was knowing of an after-school care held in a co-op funded by the United Way and that men had lived under a bridge in Aurora last year. Hey, it's a starting point! And that's better already than the last guy, Frank Klees, who offered nothing at the "Square-tables on Poverty" we organized, and once said to me,

" Tom you and I can sit here all day and we're not going to agree"

Construction / development a local election issue

...It was his way or the highway and for that reason - and the fact that millionairess Belinda Stronach then M.P. for the area kept sending assistants to the talks instead of attending in person - it didn't last. She had also walked across the parliament floor during this time to the Liberals from the Conservatives, and in reflection, it seems about that time Klees stopped " cooperating". His idea of a 'solution:" was give everyone a job". Soon after the "Squaretable" died.

In one respect it is scary having a person in parliament representing us with little experience, but on the other hand, they perhaps can have more of an open mind about solutions and action and be willing to work "collaboratively', a buzz term used a lot but not practiced much. My experience with collaboration is they steal your ideas and then apply for the funds without you. Ha. Eloquent speeches make for good sound bites, but a gutsy, ethical representative is what I seek - and someone not afraid to like a good idea from anyone and share them in it's delivery.

Belinda's Place - Hurry before winter so women don't freeze!

Ballard's first action in parliament as I understand was to put forward a motion to have the York Region Chairman's position voted in - something I advocated for during the 5 months long transit strike - Canada's 2nd longest in history - where Chair Bill Fisch basically did nothing alongside Council, while people lost jobs, missed doctors appointments, school, surgeries, and went hungry.

Some still have not recovered, especially seniors who had jobs, now let go, as well as some young people who never got back on track for school. The Regional Councilors and Mayors of course are also to blame and should be punished at the ballot boxes for the fiasco, as well for wasting millions of dollars on a 7th Y.R. women's shelter while men die on the streets. 

YRMG won an award for our story but no changes for men.

Now they they giving him Character and man of the year awards.

Newmarket Mayor, Tony Van Bynen, for example used this issue - The false fact we have no women's shelters in Y.R. - to get reelected and used it for photo ops and sound bites at every turn - and still does. Backers conveniently added the word "single " after criticism. The reality is we have 7 shelters already dedicated to or shared with women - which stats actually indicate lower use in them as of 2012-13 and two winter ones as well that accept single women.

Tom speaks about homeless men / programs with CBC

It's also been commonly known for years, that women really needing a place in YR simply say they have been abuse victims and get shelter - not turned away - so no one was on the street where possible is the bottom line, and with the addition of a family shelter  now, we quite easily could simply have converted an existing shelter into one for "singles' over age 26 ( we have for under), but no, they had to build another, at now $9 million dollars and counting mausoleum - and bearing the name of the woman who was too busy to attend the Square Tables on Poverty and who not once showed up for Oct 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty events here - but somehow her name adorns this now to be Salvation Army run club.


S.A. may be "a Stalwart" in their world, but not in the world of the homeless according to the social audit that obviously wasn't used in making this decision - which often happens when boards are vacant of any grass roots input. Much simpler to have someone else run it now but keep the false perceptions of actual involvement up with her name etched on it. I say if she wants a legacy, pay for it, as she can certainly afford it. Why take the few funds available to Y.R.?

This quote is taken directly off the website for Belinda's Place; 


"Currently, there are NO beds allocated to homeless women in York Region." 


Which just emphasizes to me how this whole thing has been sold to the public.
7 of these 8 existing Y.R. shelters have beds for women.

Fairy Lake Park Newmarket

There are limited funds for housing and shelters, so it is vital any dollars available be directed to those most in need, and so when our social audit indicates we have mostly men living (and dying) in the streets but the politicians / media are able to instead convince people, without any concrete evidence other than skewed facts otherwise, such as the one they trotted out recently in the Era Banner by someone representing a shelter stating that 3,000 women sought shelters last year here. That's a lie. They are not persons, but CALLS, and if they call the wrong shelter or call back or are told to call somewhere else or to call back later to speak with another - as long as it doesn't result in a placement on any call - each  are counted as different 'people" not receiving shelter. So if someone calls 4 times before getting the the right person or department they are counted as 4 people. The same person can also return dozens of times a year but is counted as separate people. So that stat is a lie too.

Real "Hidden Homeless"

I wonder what that stat would be for the men - but they don't publish that in the Era Banner do they? Perhaps that's why Deborah Kelly who presented the "hidden homeless stats" etc to council, used when they were looking for funds and approval for "Belinda's Place", and who did not print any of our Letters to the Editor against the shelter idea, has been quietly let go from the newspaper as Editor in Chief. I hope so, as you'd think the only grass roots group representing those in poverty would get a voice - descending or not to an Editor's personal aspirations or feelings. Good luck to you!

What isn't a lie is that York Region has only 26 full time beds dedicated to men, with more than 4 times that number ALREADY available to women, yet men make up more than 90% of our street homeless...

TOM out.

Oct 17 is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and as such, is marked by events around the world to draw attention to, and find solutions to, end poverty.

To me it's a day where you find out who the pretenders are in York Region. The ones who claim to want to help those in poverty, yet don't show up Oct 17 to add their supportive voice to the mix. Some of those are "do-gooders" who can't understand why food banks and free dinners aren't good enough. The dignity part goes over their heads. Some are in in for the money, not the principle, and without poverty, perhaps they don't have a job....and so you have to ask is their motive really about ending it? Fortunately, corporate business charities and nonprofits are made up of people, some of whom do care, and they come even if their agency isn't officially there.

Y.R.'s winter shelters are not open in October

Hopefully the Mayor of Newmarket, Tony Van Bynen, shows up this year. As much as Regional Councillor John Taylor is an eloquent speaker, we like to hope the Mayor also cares enough to come. M.P.'s and M.P.P.'s are also welcome to come listen in and maybe engage, and we're hoping our invitation to Newmarket-Aurora M.P.P. Frank Klees makes good, as a letter asking for support for specific legislation changes to protect vulnerable residents is in the works and to be presented. I've never seen M.P. Julia Munroe attend any year, while all the rest have. She doesn't have to care I guess. Besides, P.M. Harper just pledged to help women and children in foreign countries and that should be enough to keep people happy.Yea, right.

P.A.C.C. hosted a social audit a few years back that looked at poverty from a critical viewpoint. It was the 1st in York Region's history, and critiqued the services and system through the eyes of those experiencing it while issues were raised and discussed / critiqued amongst groups made of politicians and social / agency workers and community leaders. 

Inn From Cold woman's beds sit mostly empty in winter

The audit digested information gathered from sample persons from all sectors of York Region, inclusive across racial lines and sexes, all included in the final report, which was Co-Written by myself Yvonne Kelly and made a number of recommendations. The report was endorsed in principle after a presentation to council and its sat relatively unused since - although the Region did forward it to the Ontario government as representative insight from York Region.

This is unfortunate because such a report and the gleaned info would cost 10's of thousands of dollars normally and since government got it at a bargain, FREE, they could at least use it.

Sits empty, yet building a new shelter

The problem is, it criticizes the status quo and how things are currently run, something that has not been acknowledged nor altered. Men still feel treated poorly at shelters and continue to be low-balled in both access to programs and shelters, whilst the Region ignored the report they endorsed and steamed forward toward building a questionably needed women's shelter - as the Region has 6 already in various forms!

During the campaign to gain interest to build this shelter, the now defunct and paid by the region " Homelessness Alliance of Y.R."  supposedly did a "survey" and found women were homeless, but hidden as couch surfers, and therefore could only give "guesstimate" numbers on that but trust them they exist. These are the "facts" they then used to justify building another women's shelter - while men have but 26 full time beds available to them in a Region of 1.2 million people. Backed by a throng of Belinda Stronach worshipers, including our only newspaper's Editor who chaired the presentation to council and sits on the board, it might as well have been rubber-stamped from the outset especially with all our ties to the Stronach dynasty here. Facts be damned.

We have documented concrete proof  men are living and dying on the streets. 
Now, that's a fact.

At any rate decide for yourself on Oct 17 when the World Premiere of the documentary  "Behind The Masks" shows. This documentary style video contains live testimonials from those within the safety-net system here in rich York Region, Ontario, Canada.


The movie will premiere during the Oct 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty event held at Stellar Hall, 1220 Stellar Dr Newmarket 2nd floor above Stellar Bowl. 

From one of our Y.R. "food distribution programs"

Doors open 7 pm with fresh hot & cold food and refreshments provided. Includes Open Stage and features Headliner entertainment by TPE with reggae rooted The Yappers.
Cover - pay what you will.

Sign up for the event on Facebook here.

Tom out!

In a previous blog I'd touched on a few things, and I'd like to expand on something here today.

Before

At some point, I'd referred to "Slum Lords" when speaking of the notion of so-called "second suites", mentioned often erroneously as one "alternative solution" to alleviate the affordable housing issue, to which I'd replied nonsense as people living on low income still couldn't handle the costs...and then I'd mentioned "slumlords".
I got to see a "slumlord" in action. A slumlord, per say, does not have to be in any particular "type" of neighbourhood as they could own a home in a "respectable one" and still rent to whoever they wish, all the while allowing for disarray through non conformity of bylaws, landlord and tenant laws and by performing the most minimal amount of repairs and maintenance. Or duck paying contractors and such to the point that that the unit only attracts certain tenants. That's a slumlord. Someone who would order mold painted over instead of removed if they could.

Luckily we at least likely saved some new tenants from that. I'll explain.

I came across the owner of a house looking for someone to act as agent or property manager while doing some minor repairs, as well as meeting with and signing up prospective tenants, as they were an absent out-of-province-landlord. It seemed like a good opportunity - not lucrative but you would collect a percentage monthly thereafter once set with residents. First there was also a matter to coordinate minor maintenance such as removal of garbage, a boat, and supervise a fridge being replaced. I told  my new "partner" I'd help her with anything need be, and away we went! At first glance it reminded me of when I grew up, as the house was built in the same era with a typical style as our neighbourhood. Likely even the same builders. Sigh. The memory lane trip was short lived.

After

The first red flag was the previous property manager showing up claiming he'd never been paid, then rumours that the contractors had been stiffed surfaced, and the neighbour next door shared some doozies like the house had previously had everything from prostitution running from it, to dug dealers to...... You get the drift, our little paradise extra money job was turning into a nightmare. Still, we're of the mold that when doing a job it should be done right, and since we'd started decided to play it out a bit more. Besides, there was an opportunity to place someone here that may not otherwise be qualified to and we could make it pretty nice. My companion warned at that point we likely wouldn't see any money, but we'd decided to play it out anyway for awhile hoping beyond hope that decency would prevail.

Before

We worked like dogs every spare moment we had - she often between teaching classes - like in a courtroom, she  gave no less than the best effort and expected the same from those around her. We knew sprucing the place up was needed as well to get good tenants in addition to making the lawn sign asked of and borrowed the neighbour's mower to groom the lawn. Nice guy too, an electrical engineer, who gave me the low-down whilst showing me his granite stone chip lawn. Yawn.

A big obstacle was the ever-present stench of smoke that seemed always present in the upstairs portion of the two apartment house from previous tenants along with the disgusting bathrooms and the 1970's built cheapest style, brown fake wood cupboards which hindered the renting of it to respectable tenants. Then came the visit from the Newmarket Bylaws Officer alongside the Fire Inspector, both of which had to sign off before anyone could even live there! Oops someone forgot to tell us that part! More pressure.

As the F.I. checked electrical work that had been ordered done and tested the smoke and Co2 detectors,  the Bylaw Officer inspected and passed the interior window frames that had prior been ordered redone and for mold removal - showing me the before pics - and then also showed pics of how tobacco stained the walls were underneath the new paint. It struck me then that had the painters been allowed / told to use a special primer paint that soaks up tobacco odours, the place'd move quicker certainly. But still, the kitchen floors and bathroom were filthy also and someone still had to clean them.... gulp...and then there was the downstairs unit to ready and rent out with people coming to look already, Lisa already having feverishly and personally cleaned the floors down there to ensure success! The Inspector had pictures as well of the boat outside and of the garbage we'd already removed by then - but this was the first we'd known it had been ordered removed!  Also ordered done and still on her list were brick work that was sinking at the

After

entrance of the house, doorway trim was to be painted, and as well the yards cut and groomed.

Meantime this absent landlord who lives in Calgary who still hadn't paid us a penny was instructing from afar and trying to get my friend paralegal to arrange with contractors etc but she's too smart for that.

"I'm not putting my name on anything as part of hiring anyone for this place" she said incredulously, " Does she think I was born yesterday?" adding, " She could then just say I hired people without her authorization if unpaid workers ever sued for payment. No, I can't do that to people in good conscience. I'll fulfill the obligation I feel I have now to the couple looking to move in downstairs, but beyond that we'll see."

Removed

Meantime I cut the lawn front and back, and decided the brick work was minor enough that I could do it myself, and Lisa and I purchased more supplies and some special flooring cleaner to try and salvage the floor tiling in the upstairs kitchen and bathroom after some great advice from a bathrooms place guy who'd come in for a quote, which we hadn't a hope in hell of getting we were realizing by then from the absent landlord.

As I was working fixing the brickwork late into the evening one night, a loud and fairly unhappy individual dropped by to get her mail. Apparently, as I'm sure the entire neighbourhood including the just moving in downstairs neighbours heard, she wasn't happy, and loudly wished the place good riddance, often and loudly! She fired question after question at me which I deflected, as I began to suspect she may have some alcohol issues going on.

" What was she saying?!" a panicked mother of one of the two moving in downstairs asked me excitedly as I downplayed it by offering I didn't deal with drunks, but deep down at that point I felt this absentee landlord - despite how belligerent this woman who dropped by was - was also not on the level. And now we were caught between a rock and a hard place.

Tiles had to be soaked and scrubbed

We continued to try and extract even a token payment from the Calgary living landlord, as more and more confirming information such as a track record of not paying and code violations etc began to surface, including actions taken against her. Gulp. Almost time to cut our losses. Meantime we had continued due diligence to fulfill any conceived contractual obligations ( my firend had amended the original and returned it signed to the property owner) to show and rent the property despite discovering the extra work still needing done before it could even be occupied - part of her amendments to procedure removing her as 'care-taker" of this obligation, and directing that parties were to deal with the owner directly regarding hiring (for cleaning and construction or bathroom work) - as well as removing no pets clauses which are not allowed in Ontario.

Dream home job a Nightmare

Meantime my partner on this met with prospective tenants, workmen, and inspectors whenever she could, while I filled in when she couldn't be there and made minor repairs upon request for the new downstairs tenants who were otherwise happy. I scrubbed the upstairs bathtub, finished the brickwork, cleaned out the overflowing eaves troughs, trimmed the bushes and cut the lawn front and back, removed all garbage - including a dresser and a fridge by hand alone.

At one point the now happy mom from the downstairs couple noticed the brickwork done and asked incredulously,  

" Did you just do all that work?", " Shouldn't they be hiring someone to do that? ", " Is that her in there cleaning floors?"

It was too as my partner in this mess had soaked the floors with a special cleaning de-greaser suggested by bathrooms guy and was commencing to scrub it before removing it with rags.

All I could say was "when we do something we do it right and regardless of this woman we wanted to make it as nice as we could...and who knows...maybe she'll miraculously pay us something..." my voice trailed off as I had no conviction in that. But still, I had enjoyed the experience to a degree and it was nice fixing up a place. Just a freakin' shame...

Bathroom floors atrocious

That was about where we left it. After a number of more attempts to extract any type of payment from the lady in question, in addition to the continuing assertion that she had never paid any of her previous ( apparently growing list) of property managers, we reluctantly bid the place adieu.

Too bad really, with just a small amount of work - like proper tobacco stain removal products, new windows, a bathroom wall stall covering and kitchen cabinets, the place could be rented out to good responsible tenants proud to call it home, and very easy to manage at that point and with a little higher rent too than it could have commanded as was...and thus still "affordable" but in a nice neighbourhood.

It's just too bad some people are too stupid too realize this.

Meantime, this woman continues to victimize vulnerable people and businesses from afar without a worry. By operating her scam from outside the province it appears for now she can...but stay tuned...

stained floor and 70's cheap wood cabinets

Who knows? Maybe a greater purpose is at work as from all this has come an idea, through discussions about the need for drafting legislation to protect vulnerable seniors and others from eviction - now hopefully with the help of an M.PP..

Paccman Out