Hamilton Indigenous Housing

It's been a difficult month for KMHC, for starters Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services ignored requests for pest control from tenants during COVID-19 lockdown claiming exterminators will not do any jobs. Which is not true. Finally it got so bad that management was forced to fumigate the KMHC building a few weeks ago and treatments are still on going.  Selected tenants were put in hotel rooms while exterminators in white suits do their job. SMH Death is a part of life yet it's never easy when one loses a family member. Tenant and friend Judy lost her sister Milly who was also a KMHC tenant in November. I called Judy to offer my condolences, we had a nice chat, a Celebration of Life for Milly will be held at their home reservation up north in the near future. Glad to say KMHC tenant Joan Frame aka The Toothless Wonder will not be involved.:P Tenant Bernadeen is a former next door neighbour, a true believer in the Creator and FB friend. She recently also lost a family member and I...

It's been exactly 3 years since I moved out of the KMHC building and no regrets. I don't miss the constant noise of police sirens, ambulances and fire trucks going by and it's been awhile I've seen any police cruisers. You see KMHC is sandwiched between HPS central station and their special investigations new building. I still keep in touch with the tenants at KMHC, Keenadah and other homes via social media, phone and when I'm downtown. Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services management cannot stop me from interacting with tenant friends. A few months ago I was talking to a friend at the KMHC entrance when Luke Johns the OAHS property manager walks by with some old bald guy and didn't say word to me. Good on Luke I liked him since the days when he was the KMHC cleaner mopping floors. However these days I hear a lot of criticism on his lack of leadership and complacency. Lately I notice the neighbourhood around KMHC has changed drastically. The homeless and drug addi...

  A few weeks ago I got word another KMHC tenant pioneer has suddenly passed away Linda Wallage.  I decided to wait awhile to share my thoughts. Many years ago I remember when Linda took over the position as receptionist at Urban Native Homes Inc head office on Albert Street.  I liked her immediately she was bubbly and friendly to us tenants who dropped by to pay the rent.  Later she became UNH director Janis Lewis-Deeley's assistant, I recall one time at Gage Park UNH's held a summer picnic for tenants. Many tenants showed up for the food but the UNH organizers didn't arrange any games or contests for the tenants to participate. As I watched from the background I can see the picnic event was sinking fast.  Suddenly Linda Wallage got up and shouts encouragement to tenants to play kick the ball and came up with other games.  Months later I gave her a compliment on how she saved the picnic she replied 'I had to do something, it was so boring!' we both laughed...

Breaking News!  A few days ago I was surprised when I heard homeless tents were popping up around the KMHC building and one male tenant had to chase them off the property.  Today I'm told squatters have invaded the KMHC building specifically a top floor unit. A person claims to be a new tenant and somehow manage to gain access to the building plus entry to a unit.  Police were called to kick the squatters out yet one person still claims to be a tenant. She sounds like a nutcase I wouldn't be surprised if she's a friend of tenant Aunt Opie. Never before has a incident like this happen at KMHC. I remember the KMHC grand opening ceremony city officials and local native dignitaries were in attendance it was called the first of it's kind in Canada by offering housing to senior aboriginals experiencing homelessness. Now look at it.  Plus Candlewood Dr complex has a waste disposal issue that still hasn't been resolved. My KMHC tenant friends are annoyed and do not feel saf...

I've come to the conclusion Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services reluctantly accepted the assignment to take over Urban Native Homes Inc. 3+ years ago.  In their website there's an article where Justin Marchand OAHS executive director is standing in front of a building, the writings are basically saying 'Look at me I fly all around northern Ontario and I do Godly things'. :P  Meanwhile OAHS in Hamilton go through staff like I go through socks.  I once ask former staff worker Rose do they pay for her gas expenses when she has to travel to London from Hamilton she replied no probably one reason she left OAHS.  She was a great gal, I liked her.  Note to new job applicants you're under contract unless you know how to kiss ass and enjoy it don't expect a long career at OAHS.   Feedback from KMHC and Candlewood Drive complex tenants.  I'm told due to poor new tenant screening domestic violence has increased at Candlewood Dr. and KMHC tenants are not happ...

Hello readers! Here's the latest. Last month I and a few KMHC tenants received the 2nd Pfizer vaccine shot but we're not out of the woods yet. The doctor said we may need a booster shot sometime in the future. I still maintain social distancing and wear a mask. I'm told another fuck up from OAHS staff by not informing KMHC tenants COVID-19 vaccine shots were available, some had to find out through other sources.   Prior to my second shot on a Friday I stopped by KMHC to pick up a gift from one of the ladies, as I walked away from the building I was flagged over by another KMHC tenant from the courtyard. I was invited to sit with a group of tenants, while social distancing we had a nice conversation.  I didn't stay long I had another appointment.  Looking around the KMHC building from the courtyard I didn't see any improvements and no staff in attendance Elizabeth Blake do you still vape? ;)  I'm told there's a security guard that stops by to patrol the build...

Last week I attended Perkins Centre for the COVID-19 vaccine shot when I met up with two tenants from KMHC. I was on a tight schedule but later when all was done I rode downtown with one lady and had the chance to catch up how she'd doing. She's not doing too well, the tenant is being harassed at KMHC and is waiting for OAHS to do something about it.   Prepandemic - I knew about this for along time but kept it in my bookmark file until now. CBC Marketplace had a interesting episode about seniors home banning family members by issuing a trespassing notice. The similarities between Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services and the seniors home is apparent. I'm posting a link to the CBC Marketplace episode/article. https://tinyurl.com/yuy8d5d2 It's been over 2 years and I've done all I could regarding the trespassing notice by respectful phone calls and email requests to OAHS management which go ignored to this day.  So I made a command decision as long as my name is posted ...

(Edited paragraph) Unfortunate to say OAHS did not remove the trespassing notice as first thought. A nit-wit office clerk moved it to a corner location on the KMHC bulletin board therefore a tenant thought it was removed.  It's a disappointment for all.    Already I’ve been invited for dinner at one tenant’s unit but during this bloody pandemic I have no plans to enter KMHC anytime soon. Which reminds me last summer during a visit with my son he said 'I'm glad you moved out of that Indian building downtown it reminds me of a institution' he didn't say what kind of institution but I get where he was going.  Probably that's what legendary UNH outreach worker Lorraine Brown meant years ago when she said 'I don't belong there'. Hmm!   Recently I heard former UNH outreach worker Charles Jacobs had passed away. My condolences to his family, when he worked at KMHC we got along well and I have nothing but respect for the man.  RIP      Sadly, a...

The COVID-19 pandemic is a toll on Native communities all over and the KMHC building is no exception. The HPS central station has reported to the news media some employees have been infected by the virus and Dundurn Place Home Care has a breakout. HPS is located beside KMHC and the Home Care is across the street. This is scary to say the least and I'm glad I no longer live at KMHC yet I do feel for my tenant friends who still reside there. Stay safe.  Over the holidays I came across many KMHC tenant friends and one is the legendary Miss Catherine, she's the eldest and the first tenant who moved to KMHC many years ago. When she saw me I was given a quick hug (even though it's inappropriate during the pandemic to hug, we wore masks.) We had a lovely chat and shared her secrets how to survive living at KMHC. Health wise she's doing ok and I have nothing but love and respect for Catherine. May she outlive us all. :) 2020 I sent a request to OAHS head office to recede the no...