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Need New Solutions
07/06/2009 - 17:50

It seems that any "affordable housing policy" or "provincial housing strategy" seems to only include renters and not only that, but renters that would if the aimed for policy was in place would continue to live under the oppressive and regressive rent-geared-to-income rules, which in my view does nothing to eliminate poverty, as the work incentive is gone. As well, families are forced to move and then move again, as the number of family members increase or decrease. This is an OLD solution that does not work. We need new solutions that work.

We were lied to:
06/27/2009 - 17:55

In the fall of 2006, my (now ex-) wife and I were living in a small house paying a reasonable rent plus H/H. It was getting difficult for us to manage with what income we had (both of us on ODSP) and it was decided that we should separate and try to find new (to us) apartments were we may be better off. We applied to the Peterborough Housing Corporation/Housing Access Peterborough for apartments. At this time PHC was just finishing construction/rehabilitation of The Woollen Mill at 526 McDonnel Street. It is understood that PHC has a waiting list in excess of 500/600 households.

Housing is Essential
06/23/2009 - 11:00

I always took housing for granted - until I was almost forty and a family battle errupted into a war. Long story short, I spent so much time trying to recover from my personal issues that I lost my home.

It happens quickly. I was surprised at just how quickly one can lose all that they have achieved. It takes decades to build a good credit rating, pay down a mortgage and show up for work every day. It takes moments to have all those things swept away.

making the right choices
06/16/2009 - 10:41

My partner and I decided to bring our two families together under the same roof, that also meant finding a big enough home to accommodate 4 teen girls, 1 5 yr old son and a new born. We found what we thought would be our forever home, until we found out it was horrible drafty and cold during the winter to the point children could not play with their toys on the living room floor. There is a moldy basement, a leak in the ceiling that is coming from the upstairs bathroom, bugs that I have yet to identify, and the list goes on.

IF I JUST HAD MORE MONEY
06/15/2009 - 08:40

I work with a homeless and severely mentally ill population of individuals. My job is to counsel, discuss anger management and coping strategy techniques and develop socialization and clusion in society. In doing my job, I am to also assist in finding affordable housing and if we are lucky employment. I have found that the most frustrating part of my job is not working with this population with all their difficulties. It is attempting to navigate a system that is punative and less than adequate when meeting needs.