Tenant Committee

KMHC Building

Before I moved here during KMHC’s infancy the tenants at the time tried to organize a tenant committee unfortunately it failed due to poor leadership and clash among the tenants.

Monday evening I and other tenants were invited to an informal meeting at the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic main office.  The objective was to meet and talk with Aboriginal community workers and a lawyer regarding tenant issues and concerns about the landlord Urban Native Homes Inc.  The meeting started off with a smudge ceremony, all around introductions then sharing ideas and thoughts about UNH’s.  My objective was to sit back and listen to what everybody had to say.  Man!  Was I surprised what I heard from both parties, we covered a lot of areas and of course the nefarious UNH’s Director Christine Dawn Lenze (Daniels) and her UNH’s employed family were discussed.  I’m elated to announce I’m not the only tenant who has complaints toward UNH’s/KMHC employee Lynda Jones about her attitude, work ethics and practices. The meeting lasted a wee bit long over 2 hours, never the less it was a success and I absorbed a lot by listening to my fellow tenants and the aboriginal community workers and a lawyer who’s specialty is tenant issues.  
Not surprising the Native Housing blog came up in discussion so I offered an explanation on why I created it.  Here is one of many reasons: UNH’s management wouldn’t listen and include tenant elder complaints and other issues in the Tenant Meeting Minutes Report.  It was a sham.  Six years ago while surfing the net I came across a few posts from other bloggers and that’s when I had the idea “Hey! I can do that.”  I checked the legalities with a lawyer in Brantford and the Google webmaster then proceeded onward and I haven’t looked back.  Nativehousing.blogspot.ca is the only critique blog site in the cyber world tending to my Native tenant issues.  At first it was a hobby I’d poke fun at staff and a few silly tenants then later on the posts got serious.  Today the feedback via private e-mails and other social media websites is encouraging.  It’s good to know I’m not alone.

Now what do we call this committee!  I came up with the title “Hamilton Indigenous Tenant Association” Yes it is a long title so I abbreviated it to “HITA” cool huh!  The objective is to encourage and invite all aboriginal tenants in Hamilton, Ontario who have tenant issues and concerns about their landlord (including the private sector and non-profit organizations).  The association plan is to approach tenant issues in the Native traditional way by meeting each group (landlord & Tenant) in a friendly atmosphere to listen and share our concerns, offer advice plus work together toward a solution.  Picture a large group of natives sitting around a log fire with open arms offering tea, tobacco and native foods to another tribe. :)

All aboriginal tenants interested in attending the next meeting in the spring are welcome to e-mail me Tonyking.king4@gmail.com for time and location.

Tk