[homeles_ot-l] Evicted Tenant Action

[John Dunn]

Sit-in held to support evicted man




 

Tony Spears

Ottawa Citizen
Monday, September 15, 2008
 

OTTAWA - A handful of demonstrators staged a sit-in at Ottawa Community Housing to protest the continued homelessness of Fred Timms, who was evicted from his apartment in March.
 
Mr. Timms, who is blind, wants to live in his old Ramsay Crescent building or move to nearby Regina Towers.
"We're not getting anything tangible (from Ottawa Community Housing)" said advocate Jane Scharf. "They're still dragging their feet."
 
A 16-year resident of "Ramsay," Mr. Timms ran afoul of the corporation after a fire marshal's inspection deemed his two-bedroom apartment a fire hazard for being too cluttered.
 
At a mediation hearing last December, Mr. Timms agreed to move to a bachelor apartment in Regina Towers on March 15 and to get rid of most of his possessions. 
 
Mr. Timms had been making progress when he was evicted March 1 after a surprise visit from the fire marshal.
The ordeal has left him dependent on the hospitality of his friends and "mentally and physically exhausted."
 
Jo-Anne Poirier, CEO of Ottawa Community Housing, would not comment on Mr. Timms' case for privacy reasons, except to say the housing corporation is working to find a solution. She said that, as the landlord, it is liable for any safety violations.
 
"It's because we feel compassion that we're working so hard with our community partners to see if there's a solution that can be found," she said.
 
Ottawa Community Housing is also reluctant to give anyone a room without first ensuring the tenant has proper support from community groups.
 
Mr. Timm feels he already has support.
 
If he's housed anywhere else, "there's my prison," he said. 
 
Ms. Scharf said that if Ottawa Community Housing won't house him by October, the demonstrators would consider starting a tent city on the office's front lawn.
© Ottawa Citizen 2008
 
 
 
  SincerelyJohn Dunn Executive DirectorThe Foster Care Council of Canada http://www.afterfostercare.ca
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