Hamilton Indigenous Housing

Last week at the KMHC front entrance Marilyn Wright of De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre in Hamilton dropping off bushels of fruit and vegetables for the native elders.   I took what I could use from one bushel and put the rest back for the other tenants.   Unfortunately there is one tenant who doesn’t know the meaning of sharing.   The woman grabbed two bushels and claim one is for another tenant.   Ugh!   Her actions annoyed me but I looked away and proceeded to my unit.   Thank you Marilyn Wright for thinking of us. :) Last week I ran into tenant Howard in the hallway he’s respectfully the longest resident living at KMHC.   He wanted to speak to me and to my surprise he asked my permission to do his laundry after 11 pm.   The laundry room is near my unit and the machines are quite noisy at times, picture a train passing your home at high speed.   I replied sure keep the laundry door closed there will be no disturbance....

Contractor At Work.  Urban Native Homes Inc. downsized staff especially maintenance and the effects are apparent. ie: A refrigerator brakes down and the UNH’s office handed out gift cards to the tenant to compensate for the spoiled food.   The proper procedure is to have a appliance supplier handy for such emergencies and funds available to pay for the replacement.   Also contract maintenance to the KMHC grounds was the shits this summer. Last Friday KMHC tenants received a “24 Hour Notice To Enter Unit” taped to their doors announcing there will be unit inspection carried out by a hired contractor on today’s date.  That’s fine with me last time we had a unit inspection was years ago when we had a superintendent.  So yesterday getting ready for the inspection I gave my unit a complete shakedown and prepare to ask questions regarding maintenance to my unit and will there be a follow-up.   I plan to be present when the contractor knocks on my door....

Please support your local food bank Native Women’s Centre emergency food bank program is cutting back to every 60 days for long time food bank users.   From my understanding the cut backs are necessary due to the large volume of users.   I highly praise the program they do a remarkable job for the native community I mean how many food banks in Hamilton actually deliver to the applicant’s home in all kinds of weather!   Two women are assigned to drive around the city in a white unmarked van delivering food boxes.   I was surprised after speaking to the ladies to hear some natives get verbally abusive with the delivery personnel which is why a NWC agreement is issued to each applicant.   Fuck up by being disrespectful then the food bank user risks suspension or completely cut off.     I’m glad to announce none of the KMHC tenant elders are among the abusive group. Two KMHC tenant elders are working on a bake sale for the first week of November. ...