Tenancy, Uncertainty, Fear and Social Cleansing
Wednesday, 7. November 2007, 06:19:07
Are my Neighbours really heartless facists?
I am tired of all the negativity projected onto my building by a residents association I had never heard of until reading and article interviewing them on the building I live in, brought on by the mass evictions at 2100 block of Pandora Street. That building, which after a flood brought on by a despicable lack on maintenance had the city mass evict the tenants. Those tenants are having a very rough time finding housing, mostly because there is none, none that would approach the level of housing they had in that fated building. They had their own place, their own kitchen and bathroom. Most of the housing out there at their level of income will have neither.
The arguments goes, well they won't have bed bugs and mice, and floods at least. No one can guarantee that. Bedbugs have no notion of what is and what is not the appropriate building to infest. It takes on traveller on a coat to start and infestation. The bug doesn't suddenly realize he's in the Hyatt and immdiately packs up and leaves to the Lower East Side. I've seen mice and rats on Granville Island, well fed. Lots of expensive, yet leaky condos sport molds, fungus and floods, every bit as noxious. If it was so much worse at the building at 2100 Pandora it was for one reason, the tenants were poor and the landlord knew he would have tenants whether he spent money on the building or not. The landlord has no competition, he doesn't have to try. If there were sufficient units for people in low income groups to rent they would choose the best for their money and this slumlord would soon find himself with a largely vacant building. With more buildings to choose from tenants could be choosier as to hygiene, upkeep and other tenants. Most of us would, given the choice choose to live somewhere safe from the criminal element.
Textile Blog(More) - Word Pressed
(0%)
WIDGETIZE
Mugs # 12. November 2007, 00:05
This was a quiet and peaceful neighbourhood once; now it is visited regularly by the fire department, the police and even the SWAT team has been here 3 times in the 10 months since the building was occupied.
Let me ask you, how would you like to suddenly loose all the value in your home, wake up each morning to empty alcohol bottles tossed into your yard, have to keep your windows closed because of the smell of marijauna and hashish?
I know it isn't every resident in the building, however lets be honest here those bad apples definitely do spoil the bunch.
Aletta Mes # 15. August 2008, 22:56
As for the specifics, I don't own a home, never have. I don't own a car, I have no dishwasher, washer, dryer. Until I was disabled I worked, frequently at more than one job, I did volunteer work, I ran for public office, raised kids, kids who not once were in trouble with the law. I have never been arrested. I don't get drunk, don't smoke - anything, but I do live in the poor neighbourhood and my neighbors own their house, but I haven't caused them grief. Their attitudes toward "us" who live in this building, that has hurt me very much.
Most of the people causing all the grief are not poor, but for them the poor make a good shield, easier to terrorize the poor, after all who will listen and help them fight back? Among the poor count the disabled, the widowed, elderly, single parent, couples just starting out and students.
So tell me, where should these people be allowed to live in your world? Poor houses with barbed wire to keep them away from your precious housing? If people commit crimes your taxes and mine go to pay for police. Call them, get the criminals off the street, but just yet it is not against the law to be poor, destitute. Mind you all sorts of laws have been put on the books to make life as miserable as possible for those who've lost everything and ended up homeless.
It is against the law to be vagrant, but yet no suitable homes are being built nor is there a way to assure they can ever afford it. Fines are levied for begging, but welfare cheques need to be mailed to an address, and if you haven't got one...?
If you see illegal stuff going on call the police, if living in a poor neighborhood offends you, and you cannot get along, move. If the worst problem in my life was finding trash in my yard and smelling MJ, I'd pick up the trash with a smile on my face and know the wind always changes direction eventually.