Hamilton Indigenous Housing

The Christmas season is a joyful time for me, I go all out with a bright Christmas window light display for the tenants and neighbours to admire and a well decorated Christmas tree sits in my living room area. Every year an invitation from the KMHC office is posted on the general bulletin board for tenants to write down a 5 item Christmas wish list and submit it to the office then we’d get everything on our list on Christmas Eve. Trying to think up a wishlist for 2014 I came up with: 1. White sport socks 2. Small coffee maker 3. Black tee-shirts (M) 4. Toiletries 5. Hair conditioner and that was it.   Usually on Christmas Eve morning the happy staff can be seen bringing gifts in a loaded shopping cart through the main entrance then later distributed throughout the building to the tenants. This year it was different on Christmas Eve I saw an elderly gentleman in a blue Areo car unloading and delivering a small amount of gifts to HOW Lynda Jones while she stood at...

On Wednesday I received an important letter in the mail and I wanted to share it with UNH’s via staff member H.O.W. Christine Demik.   I feel comfortable talking to her so far Christine has been helpful, courteous and professional when I have a question or an issue in regard to KMHC.   Last Friday afternoon I called the office and H.O.W. Lynda Jones answered the phone. When I asked for Christine she replied in a nasty tone “ she’s not here! ”…..then there was silence.   So I asked Lynda will she be in on Monday. Lynda was pushing for the reason I called but I didn’t want to talk to her and ended the call.   This morning Christine returned my call so I asked if we can have a short meeting in the community room.   I figure since there’s a tenant surveillance camera in the community room it would be an excellent neutral area to talk. 10 minutes later I walked in the community room Christine was already there and said she’ll be right back, when she returned H.O....

It’s that time of the year again where UNH’s/KMHC attempts to dazzle the tenants with a Christmas luncheon.   To me it was mediocre.   For others they couldn’t wait to leave after lunch.   Here’s my suggestion for next year turn on a computer or laptop, go to youtube.com and find some Christmas music to play during the feast.  This would set the tone and mood for the holiday season. Let’s have some holiday cheer by poking fun at a few staff members.  The UNH’s Director showed up fashionably late, she ate, then loaded two take out plates of food for the road.   Really Janis!   How do you expect to maintain your girlish figure?    I like the guy under the Santa Claus suit he’s not afraid to invite anybody to sit on his knee I thought tenant David was going to spend the afternoon sitting there. But you know Santa doesn’t always get his way he invited tenant Donna to sit on his knee and she politely declined and said “I’ll just stand here ...

This afternoon while walking toward the building I met my neighbour Sue. She was talking about her health aliments as we entered the building so I offered a sympathetic ear.  Suddenly as we were walking down a flight of stairs she tripped and fell forward I tried to catch her but her weight knocked me off balance and we both fell to the floor. I was ok, no scrapes or scratches but Sue didn’t look good she was crying in pain her knees hurt and was lying on her side at the bottom of the stairs. I immediately got up and thought of calling the building security tenant but Sue said no instead she asked me to summon her friend who was waiting outside at her car.   Sue’s friend and I helped her slowly to her feet and eventually Sue recovered from the fall.   I offered to help carry Sue’s groceries from the car and told her to rest and not worry about it.   It was a scary moment for all of us.   Sue will probably be sore for a while and I hope she’ll recover soon. ...

After a busy night at the Festival For the first time since 2009 KMHC tenants were invited to UNH’s Children Christmas Party held at Festival Banquet Centre and I signed up for the event.   For many years I worked at the Festival and have fond memories of the building and the people I worked with at the time.   The owner and boss Albert Finnen and I got along great and we still greet each other when our paths cross.   Weddings, Christmas events, and birthdays we handled them all. It can get very chaotic and I knew better not to go in the kitchen during food preparation and serving time. My job description varied from concierge, doorman/bouncer by greeting the guests as they entered the front entrance, helped with directions, patrol and ensure building security and safety for all guests.  I came up with the idea to wear a tuxedo while at work and the boss approved.   Because Albert managed the kitchen full time I kept things running smoothly in front of the...

Some years ago when I attended my first tenant meeting @ KMHC I sat quietly and listened to what’s going on.   At the end of the meeting I complimented the staff.   Then I got a warning from a veteran tenant “You haven’t been here long enough, just wait for the next meetings.”   Sure enough he was correct. later I noticed a negative pattern developing at tenant meetings, the staff ignored tenant opinions and suggestions and were basically getting the brush off.   Being treated like children doesn’t go well with tenant Native Elders. Listening to staff quoting petty rules and regulations were boring and tiresome especially when it had nothing to do with me. I’m not interested in hearing who’s not paying the rent on time or who’s not taking the trash out correctly. I felt these issues should be addressed to the tenant directly and privately. Like one tenant said “Same old shit every meeting, nothing changes”.   Back when Ingrid Nosel was an outreach worker w...