Hamilton Indigenous Housing

Native Dancer Hey Everybody!   Summer has arrived and already there is unrest in the downtown native community, 4 years ago three large wooden planters were dropped off in the courtyard the idea was to allow tenants to use it as a garden. This year that has changed UNH’s took back the planters to grow flowers.   Looks like manure has been poured on the tenant garden program.    Recently we had a discussion among a few tenants in the courtyard regarding N5 notices from Urban Native Homes Inc.   When I think about it now what is written on the N5 form is petty and does nothing but cause resentment toward UNH’s management.   UNH’s instructs paralegal (Dale Skvereckas) to write up a N5 eviction notice then deliver it to the tenant.   At this point the tenant doesn’t know which UNH’s employee gave Dale the instructions because the name of the person is not included in the N5 form.   I believe this is importa...

Hey there!   I’ve been laying low for a few weeks gathering plenty of news and information to share.   First off I’ve known for some time the UNH’s top management team Director Janis Lewis-Deely, her buddy Valerie Williams and Rose Antone and a few others has left the UNH’s establishment.  Finally the UNH’s board members have stepped up to the plate and hit a home run.   In the meantime Christine Lenze will be the acting executive director of UNH’s until they find a permanent replacement.   I think this is wonderful and I hope the new head office team will guide UNH’s to be a better organization. :)  Speaking of UNH’s head office last week near the end of the day I faxed a work order to the UNH’s maintenance department and the next morning I received a call from Donna to work out a time frame for Darryl to drop by and complete the work order.   Wow!   Talk about prompt service  *Thumbs up* a thank you to Donna and Darry...

Today Hamilton Community Legal Clinic presented another session at Wesley Urban Ministries titled “Landlord and Tenant Matters”.   Sharon Crowe the lawyer for HLC went into further detail and continued on from the previous session.   She explained when a tenant arrives at the Landlord and Tenant Tribunal how to obtain tenant duty counsel and mediators. Sharon handed out information on the resources available for tenants: Property Standards Public Health Housing Help Centre Human Rights Legal Support Centre Investigations and Enforcement Unit As of October 2014, a pilot project for tenants who file T2 and T6 applications against the landlord will automatically go to Case Management hearings in hope of working out a settlement. During question period Sharon gave tenants some good coaching tips and advice in regard to a N7 eviction order.   Sorry I’m not sharing the information I’m going to keep that under my hat….just in case.   ;)...

Lately with all the shite that's gone on around here ie: unnecessary cop calling, the KMHC office staff and their lack of understanding, lame fire drills and now we have an encore presentation….. Bedbugs! Just last month UNH’s/KMHC hired a contractor to exterminate the bloody bastard bugs and apparently they are back.   Today we received a notice stating bedbugs have been sighted in the common areas and hallways of the KMHC building.  Looks to me the contractor did a terrible job so Good Shepherd Works will be doing a bedbug inspection on Friday…..UGH!  I rather be present when inspections are scheduled so I hope the inspector shows up early, I have things to do.  I know for a fact tenants are pissed off and frustrated, one tenant is planning to move out due to the bedbug scare and another suggests they bomb the building I don’t mean nuke it.   I mean UNH’s should put tenants up in a hotel then bomb the building with top of the line pesticide.   No more...

Introduction page Two weeks ago I decided to sign up and attend a workshop hosted by the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic. We were handed a 10 page information leaflet on tenant’s rights and what to expect if one has to attend a hearing at the Landlord & Tenant Tribunal on King Street. The lawyer Sharon Crowe gave an informative presentation then later listened and answered our general questions.   A few participants at the workshop were frustrated about their living situation with Hamilton City Housing, ie: non repairs, appliances not working and the big issue bedbug/cockroach pest infestation.  They asked the lawyer what can be done to correct the problems. From what I gather there is a lot of paperwork involved the tenant has to file applications and complaints to certain city departments then they send out city inspectors to assess the situation. If that doesn’t work the lawyer suggested tenants go to the Legal clinic and request a private consultation/meeting w...

Today at noon I received a knock on my door it was two Hamilton police officers, I invited them in and asked what’s the problem!   They were here to remind me not to speak to the KMHC office staff and an issue in regard to Christine Demik’s parked car in front of my window.   Jeezus! The last time I spoke to the staff was at a meeting on December 22, 2014.   Last week I wrote a note asking Christine if she would park her vehicle further down the laneway so not to block the view from our windows. Since I’m not to speak to her I stuck the note on her windshield.   Apparently she and UNH’s made a big issue out of it and complained to the police. The officer said there is nothing threatening or offensive in the note and advised me to file a complaint with the City of Hamilton bi-law office in the future.   Ironically this morning before the cops arrived I woke up to loud noise of city workers cleaning the grounds near Christine’s car I went out to ask the worker...

Words of Wisdom The image/words you see above is for the former UNH’s staff that were thrown under the bus and for the ones still working under management rule. In these tough economic times there are not many full time jobs available I understand staff have to make a living but don’t allow the employer to interfere or restrict social communication with others. (tenants).  It's a human rights violation.   Here’s a scoop I want share: I never wrote about this as requested from a former UNH’s head office employee.   About 3 years ago the lovely UNH’s Director tried to muzzle the former employee by threatening legal action if any information was leaked out.  The thing is the person never gave any inside information in regard to UNH’s business practice and I never asked.  I only receive confirmation on the Director’s bitchy character and I was praised for being clever and insightful on what goes on at KMHC. At the last KMHC Christmas dinner I watched the nati...