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2013-01-03 at 10:26

Housing complex residents say they're afraid to leave their homes

By tbnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY -- Some people living in a district housing complex say they don't feel safe in their homes.

A group of Assef Court residents are trying to improve their living conditions, but feel their complaints to the Thunder Bay District Housing Corporation and city police have fallen on deaf ears.

Lucille Fernette says she feels hopeless.

"I've had people try to break down my door, and I've told (the District Housing Corporation) and they've said 'you're secure in here,'" Fernette told Thunder Bay Television.

"I'm not secure here. Do you know how I sleep at night? I sleep with a basket against my door, a shopping cart, and I've had it and I can't take anymore."

She added that many of the residents are afraid to leave their homes after 5 p.m.

City police say they have responded to several calls at Assef court over the last few days, but did not lay any charges.

Officials with District Housing say they have no complaints on file.

 

(Thunder Bay Television)

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Comments

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SadButTrue says:
It seems a large portion of the story here is missing. Tenants say there is no answer to their complaints and the housing authority says they have no complaints on file? That raises questions a news website should have asked or followed up before going to press. Is this an ongoing story?

1/3/2013 10:55:34 AM
rootbear says:
This isn't the only city run building it's happening too. We got our in-laws out of Spence Court because of all the unwelcomed riff raff and drug activity going on there. Deplorable!
1/3/2013 11:05:48 AM
Escroft says:
Thunder Bay District Housing treats all tenants like slop just because they are on welfare or disability. TBDH thinks because they don't pay taxes, don't work, drink, smoke, and be lazy, that they are not human beings and just should accept what's going on. Every single neighborhood that District Housing owns is a crime-riddled disaster area. You just have to look no further than: 288 Windsor Street, Trillium Way, Assef Court. There are some serious problems in these places. Don't hate people just because they are on Welfare. While there may be a few bad apples on the system, most ARE on it as a life-saving resort. But that's no excuse to make them feel like their lives are in jeopardy. It's time District Housing starts screening its residents and rejecting those with criminal histories [Drugs, Rapes, Burglaries, Murders, Predators].
1/3/2013 11:06:03 AM
tadzup says:
Did you read what you wrote?


"...they don't pay taxes, don't work, drink, smoke, and be lazy...""

Did you think maybe it's BECAUSE of those things that there are issues in these places? No, not ALL residents are that way but sadly that is the nature of low income housing everywhere...
1/3/2013 10:35:00 PM
Escroft says:
Hey hey hey! Anyone can drink in moderation, and anyone can smoke in moderation. I'm talking about that, not drunks that down a case and a half every single night, smoke pot, marijuana and crack.
1/4/2013 12:47:21 PM
ranma says:
You can blame cutting corners to save dollars, on this one. For example, Spence Court in Westfort used to be an old folks home. Mainly for people who were retired and lived on their own. Then the city also decided to add low income housing to the mix. Well seniors and low income people in their 30-40's really don't mix.

You used to be able to leave your doors unlocked, everyone knew everyone. Now, you must lock your doors at all times or else someone will walk into your apartment and rob you. Alcoholics live there, drug addicts. I am sorry but this city has no idea on who to deal with it's troubled people. These type of people need the proper care, that this city just can't afford anymore.
1/3/2013 11:14:42 AM
eastender says:
And why can't the city afford to give proper housing to these people? They are too busy spending money on worthless money losing projects, so their construction cronies can rip us off. Marina, Multiplex, and now the bridge to nowhere.
1/3/2013 2:31:26 PM
irmy says:
I LIVED IN LOW HOUSING FOR 10 YRS,AND ALL ,I CAN SAY IS ,THERE ARE VERY MANY NOSEY PEOPLE , LIVING IN THOSE PLACES,AS SOON AS SOMEONE NEW MOVES IN ,YOU ARE LOOKED AT AS A CRIMINAL,iF THEY CAN,T FIND ANY DIRT ABOUT A PERSON,IT WILL BE MADE UP.housing is not the best owners,but ,if thats all you can afford,stay and don,t complaine about your neiGHbour,or move and shut up.YOUR NOT GOING TO FIX THAT PROBLEM IN A 100 YRS.AND YOU,LL BE GONE ANYWAY,dO YOU THINK YOUR GOING TO BE THANKED FOR THIS OUTBURST,OR JUST WANT YOUR PICTURE IN THE PAPER.oR SCARE PEOPLE.i.M GLAD YOU DON,T LIVE IN tORONTO.
1/3/2013 7:05:14 PM
tadzup says:
This isn't an issue of improper housing... it's not the building they're complaining about, it's the people...
1/3/2013 10:36:49 PM
young&concerned says:
Some more satisfied costumers Mayor Hobbs!
Damn! I wish your campaign videos were still on you tube instead you must have had your lackies removed them! Epic Failure!
1/3/2013 12:21:54 PM
dozerman says:
Maybe it is time for the police to go under cover and live in these facilities so that they will know first hand what is going on. Then maybe something will be done!
1/3/2013 1:01:22 PM
glass half full says:
Maybe its time the Angles set up shop in the neigbourhood again. Just courious what are the stats of punk crimes around this city prior to the Angles being run out of town ( well being forced to take a lower profile ) ?

Face a fact bikers do bad stuff! We all know this... At least they are structured and they keep punk renagades out of the region they control.

If I were a punk loser i would sooner face off with a cop than a biker.....


1/3/2013 1:25:33 PM
Baor says:
"Angles"? It would take a fan of a criminal organization to misspell the name of said organization . Maybe you should refill your glass....with water this time.
1/3/2013 10:19:14 PM
glass half full says:
Baor.... WOW you are a smart one !!!!!1 Pointing out a spelling error.. One day when i am all grown up I want to be just like you.

I am far from being a FAN, I am sure the punks would be run out of that area if they were there.

Again MR. spelling professor.... YOU are MY HERO.

(((( NOT ))))
1/4/2013 12:27:01 PM
meta says:
No documented complaints or letters!
The Housing Corporation and elected officals have ALL RECEIVED letters complaining about the issues and treatment by staff.

Remember the senior who was attacked in the building and nearly lost her arm! Big meeting, petitions and nothing done.

This has been going on for a long time with the same lack of concern. More cover ups and deflections of the truth.

This is not the only housing project in trouble look at Spence Crt on Amelia, Limbrick, Windsor Place, Andras Complex at Marina. Murders, assualts, drugs, fires, beatings, robbery, elevator accidents, booze problems all sweept under the rug.
These place are unsafe for the poor folks that can not afford to live anywhere else.

But the social services department get a big shiny new 12 million dollar building with security guards and everything. you have to wait in line like some begger to get service

Something is definitely wrong with how the social services department is run.
1/3/2013 1:40:41 PM
Tbay99 says:
So what's your solution exactly? Give these "poor folks" new shiny homes in new safer neighborhoods curtosity of the tax payer?
1/3/2013 5:55:31 PM
sailsup says:
This has been an issue with DSSAB for quite some time. Last year, the same problems were occurring at Andra's court. When brought to the media and with a lot of push from the tenants association, a security gaurd was implemented at this building. Since then, the crime, and noise has gone down significantly. DSSAB no longer has the right to screen potential tenants, which in itself is a crime, but that is the law. So,in any city run building, who ever is next on the list to get an apartment..gets one ...The saddest part is, that many vulnerable seniors and disabled are now in the mix of people with violent criminal pasts and those with mental health and addiction problems. The only solution is security on site. Our police resources are being tied up going back and forth to these City run apartments. This is NOT a police issue, it is a DSSAB issue and our city needs more mental health facilities. OPEN up the LPH again. It's time to take a stand and protect our most vulnerable citizens.
1/3/2013 2:15:09 PM
Daxxis says:
So, let me get this straight: low-income housing is set up on real-estate that is...well...low value. What would everyone think if we put low income housing on the waterfront instead of condominiums?
Lower value areas of town tend to be those with lower-income families.
Chicken? Egg? I don't know.

My point is that I don't actually believe the city is deliberately causing this and is doing what they can to combat it. Further, if the city spent a few million dollars on it, I suspect some of you would complain about Hobbs for that too.

As for screening: where would those people you screened out live?
1/3/2013 2:17:52 PM
WorkingGal says:
Thunder Bay housing does not care about there tenants, we are set to follow rules and if we don't were evicted, but yet they wont fix mold problems,neighbour problems,won't fix something broken that needs to be fix,so we go with broken cupboards,broken doors that go into our house,won't fix a toliet leak or if a neighbours apartment upstairs leaking down they say its your fault when something breaks and there not fixing it, also the yards are disgusting they dont keep up with them, its a mess and its very sad we don't get treated with dignity that we deserve and when we pay rent they automatically think your there for ontario works , there is some single parents that do work and we get looked down upon when we go pay rent. I think the employees should be all fired and screen new employees that do care about people, they want to be shown respect, well show us respect They need to stop being lazy and do there jobs!They should have to live in one of these for a week,see what we deal with!
1/3/2013 2:55:37 PM
isaiaheagle says:
thunder bay housing secure building yeah right after the flood in may I was placed in thunder bay housing great family neighborhood they said, security building, access door buzzer system, clean, move in find out everyone in area has access to building as doors never close latches glued or duct taped to remain open, side door ajared to remain open, names on buzzer never updated, cops visit building on daily basis, garbage bags left at end of halls, drug dealers on all floors of building tenants smoking drugs to the point I cannot open windows or I get the smell in my place. when I first moved in I got to see at 730 am a group of people raking the playground for needles so the kids could play that day. oh and at night don't even get started there just come to 75 Academy dr and see. asked for a transfer answer no have to leave for a year first then apply and wait this is not suitable living for anyone at all
1/3/2013 3:28:02 PM
ring of fire dude says:
"What would everyone think if we put low income housing on the waterfront instead of condominiums"? Check out the 2nd and 3rd floors on Cumberland St downtown , there's your slum apartments . Don't forget all the park benches in Marina Park come summer .
1/3/2013 4:42:29 PM
nvjgu says:
Whole town is chuck full of losers. There walking around all over the place. Thousands of them.
1/3/2013 4:46:08 PM
The Badger Mountain Hermit says:
Can't be! Unemployment is only 5%!
1/4/2013 3:22:55 PM
WhyNoComments says:
Off Topic...
1/3/2013 5:05:51 PM
ThunderBayFullOfCrime says:
TB housing does not care. They need to start doing something about these buildings. It's 100% true that TB housing buildings are disgusting and ppl are treated like animals. Sad. I'm very concerned for all the nice, older ppl and families that get stuck in the same buildings with ppl who break laws and are violent.
1/3/2013 6:05:46 PM
tsb says:
Everything is terrible and it's the fault of other people.
1/3/2013 7:42:46 PM
nvjgu says:
Dont bother calling the police. I have experience with this. They might spend a day or two in jail then out they go to do it again. Most of them are known to police. Whats with Thunder Bay it's a magnet for losers.
1/3/2013 8:03:06 PM
nvjgu says:
I think im going to go hang out at Assef Court.
1/3/2013 8:12:06 PM
tadzup says:
What security measures do "normal" apartments have that the TBDHC apartments don't?
1/3/2013 10:42:19 PM
conker2012 says:
Wait, there is crime in low income areas? When did this start?

Somehow we should not expect crime to happen in government low income housing projects? Now there are many means these people can persue if the property owner is not meeting their responsibilities in the landlord tennant act, but that is up to them to follow the proper process.

Issues of broken toilets, mold and poor maintenace are issues that need to be adressed through the proper chanels. Issues with bad neighbours are not the concern of the owner. Perhaps some better plannig to create one or two seniors only buildings could make these seniors feel a bit safer, (though there would be a lengthy fight over the location of said seniors only buildings). The problem with this is the landlord's inability to kick somebody out of their appartment for the convienience of others.
1/4/2013 10:06:57 AM
lucysays says:
Affordable,low income housing should be made available to our senior population. Those complexes should be for seniors only. Period. There are other low income housing options for others who are in need. The safety and security of our most vulnerable community members (who, by the way, have already paid their dues, worked and raised families and contributed their fair share of taxes)should be guaranteed. The last thing our seniors should be worried about is their personal safety.
1/4/2013 10:38:50 AM
dad3192 says:
Perhaps we should look at laws like Texas and Oklahoma where social assistance recipients will soon be required to eprform mandatory drug testing. Yeah, I know it's the US, and we have our charter of rights and freedoms..but what about the rights and freedoms of the people who work and pay taxes? The righst and freedoms of those who worked hard all their lives, retired, and moved into places like Spence Court and Assef Court? Now they are forced to live in situations that they never, ever planned on!
Riff raff moves in, and they welcome their friends, relatives, fellow drug users into the building and their rooms.
Once there, they get drunk, get high...whatever..and cause nothing but problems....then like cock roaches in the light...they disappear into rooms when the police show up...
And heaven helps the cops if they violate the rights and freedoms of the riff raff...cuz then it goes to human right, or OIPRD, and it becomes nothing but a nightmare...
Let's get this system fixed
1/4/2013 10:56:06 AM
dad3192 says:
One senior dead in an unsolved robbery at Andras court...one senior dies after having her arm literally torn off at Asseff Court...isn't the first incident enough, but a second?? How long do these residents have to wait!!?? Until a third incident??? Does it really need to come to that!!!!!
As far as having the hells angels around...pretty sure that both of those horrific incidents happened while they had a presence in the city...enuf said
1/4/2013 12:23:50 PM
Jon Powers says:
conker2012:

" Now there are many means these people can persue if the property owner is not meeting their responsibilities in the landlord tennant act, but that is up to them to follow the proper process."

FYI:

Did you know that TBDHC and TBDSSAB are not subject to the Ontario LandLord Tennent Act.

They are handcuffed to money and resources to deal with very problem tennents.

Let me relate a small story;

Summer 2007 I call 911 for an assult in progress involving a neighbour, suspect arrested, Summer 2008 same situation sex assult but with knife in hall way on security cameras, arrest made same party, Spring 2009 same person arrested same victim breach of bail, I go to court to testify, no real jail time.

Same person assults other tennents name told to Housing;

Nothing happends No Evictions.

Blame Ontario Government for Backwards Laws.

Great Story!
tbnewswatch.com
1/4/2013 1:39:44 PM
moonwolf says:
I really don't understand why there are not seniors only buildings or at least seniors and disabled. Surely there are enough people that can fill a building. I know there are waiting lists for both low income and the forementioned. Do we really need to keep spending money on luxury things when these problems exist??? Maybe when the mentality of city hall changes from what they want to what we need, the taxpayers dollars will be spent with the welfare of ALL citizens in mind. Shameful, shameful situtation!!!
1/4/2013 6:25:33 PM
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