#Mentoo - York Region's Forgotten Homeless

Sam Orrico has struggled years now with housing

Christmas came and went, then New Year's and for most of Canada life carried on as it had previously, with most of us convinced we'd done our part during the festive season giving to our loved ones and to the "poor".

But for some, there is no back to normal. For some a life of misery, at least for the foreseeable future, remains. Like the now senior farmer who tires from fighting just to have land to "farm" and now lives alone in a trailer with off the grid heat.

But so too do some youth struggle to survive in this often unforgiving society that seems to more easily accept a sentence of homelessness to males.

In a sort of reverse way our system often seems to, unwittingly perhaps through past patriarchal thinking, give less treatment and attention to men's and boys issues. One needs look only at the programs and services available. For example, there is no "men's centre" - yet a long established women's centre - and shelter beds available to women outnumber the men over 3 to 1 yet men and males make up the bulk of the actual street homeless.There are also 0 transitional houses for men yet we have units for women.

In fact, a 2017 Toronto / York Region United Way survey found a full 100% of York Region's street homeless without any supports whatsoever were male. Compile that with studies showing males commit  suicide in 80% of all cases and one wonders why a crisis has not been declared and political champions not speaking out outraged? #Mentoo ?

Our outdated social safety net system seems to regard these men as expendable? Indeed they are from my experience often simply given bus tickets to take them somewhere else, like Toronto, where last year over 70 men - over 90% - were found to have died (decades) early as a result of having lived on the streets, as of only November. No inquiry? And we cannot be so naive as to think York Region men aren't part of those death statistics when our lone full time York Region's men's shelter of 26 beds is full 100% of the time. Ditto its 12 bed youth shelter in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.

So, as we all continue on and pat each other on the back about what a great job we're doing, maybe just stop a minute and take a good look, and if in conscience you can say we are, then so be it. More men will simply die. Are these men deserving of programs and homes? You decide.

Pictured is a sample of "thank-yous" sent out after a donation for presents to a York Region male youth shelter over Christmas of 2017 and donated by a local business, Stellar Car Wash.

Editors note: One person had never had an Xmas present before. 

Homelessness in York Region is no surprise, nor its Crime Spike

As the local newspapers focus headlines throughout the winter through feel-good pieces aimed at propping up our social network assist vehicles - instead of dissecting what we could be doing better - it seems in keeping with York Region politicians.

It's no secret that Y.R. has had not only a shortage of government assisted housing units for those in need for many years, as highlighted in the 21010 York Region Social Audit Behind The Masks which was presented to Council in deposition, and which they supported in principle and then used / sent to the Ontario government towards helping them formulate a plan to coordinate funding and services for this area but it has also had one of the lowest owned units-to rental units ratios in the entire country, as well availability rates - also country-wide close to worst. So it's no secret. See the Social Audit Video.

In the download of $ and services to the municipalities from the Ontario government, the Region took away certain safe-guard initiatives designed (that are / were part of The ACT) to help individuals in need avoid becoming homeless and those just out of prison or institutions. It was called the Start Up Fund used to help residents avoid eviction or 1st and last to obtain a place to live and could be applied for no more than once every three years. It's no longer available through the municipalities take over, and its replacement deemed unattainable by former user types, so those same people now are more likely to go homeless. At the time when the download of services was still in proposal mode, I specifically mentioned this safety net program to Y.R. Councillor John Taylor who assured me all would be kept. It wasn't. Notice a crime spike of late? It's no coincidence.

Not going to say I told you so. But I did.


Instead, the Region seems to think putting everything into shelters has been the answer - spending more than 10 years focusing all available funding - over $10,000,000 - towards building one women's shelter, Belinda's Place as well as some assisted temporary housing for the same single women only category.Geez, Magna's C.E.O. makes $26 million a year. Donate some.  

Problem is / was, most of Y.R.'s homeless are men, a fact I have long crowed, but now have tangible proof of, from the just released stats collected by United Way Toronto / York Region..


This week's YRMG headlines scream out Shelter use up 50%...crisis levels..blah,blah,blah but are they not aware the one and only full time men's shelter Leeder Place - is full 100% of the time? That's not a story? Only in winter I guess when its sexy to write about it and INNs from The Cold gets their overflow. Thank goodness for them at least.

Cold Warning in effect

Yesterday, I came across a struggling guy, one who fights addiction issues but one who also works and works hard. I know, because I worked several jobs on which he was hired to assist, and in seeing his willingness to do a great job, I've since assisted him into something more regular, including the last one he's held for 6 months now. But they just don't have the hours for him come January and there he was, last night, out in the bitter cold begging for money.

Knowing I have a video taping upcoming this month for which I've budgeted in a P.A. I gave him $20 advance and told him I'd be in touch about the exact date. "But no more tonight eh? Go home." I said. He thanked me and did just that. He and his girlfriend struggle to keep a roof over their head. They could also benefit from nonexistent rehab programs to assist towards living a "normal" life.

YOURK news covered MPP's start-up

Ironically I 've been trying to find an operator group for a housing or rehab complex of 18 self- contained, up-to-code units, yet no incentives enough seem to exist to entice operators to run anything. So why can't YR controlled funds go here?

Earlier that day, over the phone from Markham, a man seeking help asked me,

" What are they doing with the $16 million dollars the federal government gave to assist with these issues?"


Good question.
On turning 65 and going from ODSp to pensioner -

Markham Community Centre

"It's not right. They knew the date was coming. No one told me I had to apply or that I'd be cut off income. No one told me anything."

Forest, right here, long time homeless camp

So where IS all this new money going in assisting those in need and those who want to live outside the dangerous and undignified shelter system? I don't know, but it's not getting to those most in need, and this to me seems an abuse of process.

Hey, I gave you resources!

The recent York Region Media articles have headlined cherry-picked themes taken from a report by United Way Toronto/Y.R., like the obvious such as aboriginals having a higher than average ratio - as it is in the rest of the country - and they've headlined children, family and youth poverty, but they've actually left out the most staggering headline stat of all that a full 100% of the homeless they found with no attachments to any shelter of any kind in York Region were male. 100%. They further found that 70% of all shelter dwellers were male.

Now I'm not going to come out and say that our social safety-net system seems sexist but...well actually I am, and it is. We have no shelters for males to escape abuse even though stats show spousal abuse is about 50-50, yet we have a number of shelters for women in this regard, in addition to the family shelter and single women's shelter and transitional temporary housing. There is no temporary housing for any single men. Men are last on lists for Y.R. housing too since abuse victims and families - often single moms - also rate ahead of them, regardless of the fact there are extremely few single assisted housing units to begin with in York Region, so vulnerable men often have little chance to get housed, and these men will statistically die much younger than the average person - often by two decades.

So that is what WE are supporting with our current system. We're sentencing men to an early death.

The social audit was clear back in 2010 that the lack of housing was already critical and that men were not only lacking in programs and housing but in how they were being treated and that has still had no change.

We need more male social workers according to some men from shelters
....

"They hire women right out of battered women's shelters and they don't treat us good."

Former Shelter Dweller now deceased. See his and other video testimonials here. I've written in the past of several men who have died while living on the streets in YR and after years in the shelter system and yet not a word from the local media. Shame on them, but shame on us for doing nothing while men die. That would soon include our now area Housing Minister Chris Ballard who has not invited myself nor P.A.C.C, Y.R.'s voice for poverty, to participate in any reforms, nor for consulting, since his quick promotion from regular M.P.P.. Since he knows me and I have much more knowledge and experience than most in the area on the issue, including himself, and an asset as such, you'd expect a call. If you don't recognize your assets how can you use or manage them?

" House of Hope" sits empty begging for use.

I'll give the provincials this much, they have the "cahoonahs" to discuss a fixed basic minimum income model and I have committed to participate in that, if only to try and ensure these off-the-grid and precarious work types are not left out of the mix. As I see it, this type of system may help stop those who often fall through the cracks, to better survive in cold Canada.

One homeless man says we need to form branches for areas within the Region that deal with guys like him in crisis and who cannot travel across an entire region to access emergency help. I agree.


Tom Pearson

Homeless York Region Family gets full treatment

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well let's hope they don't mean that literally. That was the worry of a York Region family to be, young mom pregnant with child and concerned dad to be trying his best to find a solution to them being homeless while retaining control of their and their baby to come's lives.

He'd come 'home" from working out west with good intentions, getting his Georgina girlfriend pregnant was a byproduct but just one his fathers spouse was not willing to also take on, so the couple and their cat found themselves suddenly homeless with her pregnant and them unable to stay anywhere but a forest after being turned away from a shelter. That's where I found them "arguing". In a location a stones throw from a busy plaza.

At first I couldn't make out the yelling I was hearing as I couldn't see who was talking but the brunt seemed being flung towards a 'homeless looking' from someone up the forest area and by the look at the guy's face his girlfriend. The guy stood half in and out of the tree grove while another woman stood half in and out of her car, standing in silence between outbursts from the forest and as I overheard a bit more, I offered that maybe I could be of assistance and told him a little about my self at which point the semi-standing lady, now fully out of her car, was addressing me,

"Are you Tom Pearson? I'm Jane Haslam".

 Jane, of course, the Homelessness Prevention worker for the Salvation Army, central York Region.

" Oh, you're Jane. Hi!", I replied. Or something to that effect. The situation suddenly making sense.

 " No way!" I heard from the forest, " I'm not going anywhere where they'll take my baby. And what about my cat. Nobody will take my cat!"

Cat rescue puts mom and dad to be at rest

So with the nod of approval from 'dad' I waded in past a sign declaring " Hobo community. Hobos only!

" She made that", the young man offered, half reading my mind.

Then, in a subsequent discussing on the situation with the distraught mom to be and after I mentioned they would be eligible for emergency funds for food even if her spouse was waiting for a paycheque so they could eat....and which Ms. Haslam offered up she just happened to know exactly where the person from the Region who is the field worker to arrange this and where she was! So the plan became was she was going to go find her while I stayed and allayed and put out some calls for help.

The temporary homeless compound they'd set up was complete with tent in a spot long used for those in the know, once the 'home" to a former gold glove boxing champ, John Fletcher who died an alcoholic and homeless in Newmarket in June of 2011. That little patch in the grove of trees had been his home for a number of years. going inside to couch surf or into a shelter when it got really cold.Surely we've learned lessons from john and others' deaths? This family to be deserved a better fate, two weeks in tropic-like hot temperatures with no shower access was plenty enough.

I let her know we'd find a place to take her cat temporarily - which Jane arranged as well - and that we'd get them into a shelter together today. Which was done - even a cab there, and all handled with dignity. As for the young man involved, I was very impressed by his resolve to be with her and stay by her side despite being ostracized by his own family for doing so. He also seemed resilient, although perhaps hungry.

The community workers hadn't been aware of this spot, although truth be known its seems more a stopover spot mostly these days, another on the fringe type guy showing up after their cab had left, his spot in the shade reserved for sipping his drink of choice in the hiddens of the foliage den.


Ironically I'd only wandered back there to kill time while awaiting a meeting to find new landlords for a home that assists those with addictions or mental health that was just up the street. When I returned from said meeting with ice caps, Elizabeth Pepin, Outreach worker for York Region, and Jane Haslam were also arriving - all the arrangements all ready wrapped up in a neat, dignified bow.

The cat sanctuary lady also showed up as it all went down and we thanked her for her efforts including getting free shots for the family feline.


Even a family of what appeared to be ground hogs, babies too, were wondering about in the compound, almost too close, perhaps used to being fed by humans. Whatever the case, the human ones have a much better chance now, and having been homeless, do indeed move up somewhat on the waiting list for assisted housing.

And so there it is the happy ending. ( Insert happy faces and hearts here) Back pats to all.... 

But wait!

Always a but with me isn't there?

Here's my but. What happens in 6 weeks after their stay time in the shelter is up and they don't find a place they can yet afford? It's not like Y.R. is ripe full of rental housing, with one of the lowest per capita stock in the entire country. Does C.A.S. move in at that point and make a liar out of me, starting a "file' before the baby is even born to these two victims of circumstance?
\
But you said earlier it moved them up in priority on the waiting list for housing!

Yes I did, but moving up can mean going from 8 years to 4 years...who knows?

Is there anything that can be done about getting the Homeless in York region a higher priority on this waiting list?

This location is currently vacant and ideal for housing 15 residents

Yes! Aside from the obvious of actually building more affordable housing, I believe actually it can be done simply through changing a YR housing policy which does not need governmental approval. York Region was once bound by a trade-off agreement with Toronto for some social services pooling dollars which we fought successfully to have returned. Remnants of that deal, which is accepting of G.T.A. residents awaiting housing or shelters on the same priority list as those who live in Y.R. and no priority to local residents.

This means that a person or family in Scarborough or even Ottawa can be ahead of a mother who lives or even grew up in YR yet we do not have the sane exchange of residents being placed into Toronto housing stock. There was a time when York Region housing was obligated to offer this, as funding had been tied to it, but with that no longer being the case, I see no benefit to York Region residents to continue such a system - and especially those who have lived and paid taxes and supported the communities for many years, hoping against hope, that one day they can live without fear of homelessness. All the housing help centres in the world won't help us if we have no where to place them into afterward.

"Shelters are not homes. They are part of the recycling system"

Tom Pearson

Inn From The Cold passes dignity test

I stopped into a public building with restrooms recently on my travels and while there it sounded like a meeting or gathering was happening inside...but when a guy has to go he has to go. The distinct odour of alcohol could be smelled in the air (jeepers I'm sounding like a cop!) as the foursome chatted, quieting to respectful tones upon seeing me enter.

I used the stall even though I didn't have to go number two and almost immediately the chatter came back up a level, the one semi-level headed guy in the group shushing them, as I envisioned him motioning to his lips whilst nodding towards the stall I occupied. He stopped still another guy from lighting up a smoke inside the warm confines of the public bathroom. I'd ascertained by then the group was likely homeless, their clothes and disposition helping somewhat in that assumption.


As I walked outside, the four stood smoking, one in a cast, all ranging in ages from 20,s to fifty. They were a ragtag group that watched out for one another while staying at the Inn from the Cold where they emphasized the volunteers there are great. They didn't like staying there or having to, but that those that man the place, treated them with dignity and respect - not so at Porter House (York Region's only full time men's shelter) though they almost angrily declared in unison. And at least one had camped near it when refused a spot there.

They were less than thrilled with the treatment they receive at Porter and the 'clientele" described as often abusing drugs, stealing their stuff or trying to rob them...and so they formed a little clique while now staying over at the Inn From the Cold shelter and challenged the evening before when someone tried to make off with their back packs in the pouring rain whilst taking shelter from it at the bridge, one breaking his hand in the ensuing chase while retrieving his dropped bundle.

" If I was you guys, I'd come out here to smoke otherwise what they'll do is clamp down on you. If you always come outside they won't bother you" I offered as I walked up to them.

" It's warm in there. We just go in there to get warm during the day sometimes, "Jim", said, " we wouldn't light up in there" forgetting likely I was inside when they almost did.

"I hear ya", I replied, " But that's just it, some people will just smell the smoke, not know who it was, and they'll start closing it up or stop you from using it. This way they won't ever bother you."

And it went from there as I chatted with them for some time whilst my order of fish and chips at nearby malt & chips shop where I'd ordered for my mom, awaited me.


Within no time these guys trusted me and were sharing personal stories. One who's mother'd died, which he really hadn't dealt with - you could feel as he spoke about it -  and had come to Newmarket to be near his father, two others who'd been raised in children's aid and who'd been abused...another I suspected had more mental health than addictions issues and much older than the others. The four amigos watching out for themselves, because they have no homes. And when Inn From The Cold closes for the season they will again be out in the cold at night.

I mentioned a documentary crew was nearby doing a piece on addictions and that I myself had done a documentary style series on a homeless father and son in Newmarket that had a happy ending and had generated a story about them in the papers that saw many show they wanted to help. The 2011 article generated more reaction than any in history I was told and in fact they revisited the article again in a discussion piece written in August 2015.

The guys went on to also tell me how, for example one being from Brampton, how they felt the people were special here as well as the town'

" When I came here (Newmarket) people actually say hi to you as you're walking down the street. I thought that was just great. The people are great here."

The 36 year old had worked 10 years for one company and worked up to forklift supervisor before things fell apart. when his mom died he seems he never recovered. another gave me his now tattered business card, holding out hope of restarting again.

They were very interested in what I had to say and engaging me, seeming to sense that I believed in these guys without judging them.And these guys all had good hearts, make no mistake. Semi-drunk or not. sure, they'd fallen perhaps, and far even but they need help - and not just for alcohol but for the abuse they've suffered and the other to get through losing his mom, possibly alone through it all but before ANY of that, they need a home, otherwise this desperate cycle of shelter to street to shelter to streets will surely, slowly, be killing them.

The contractor walked with me to the fish and chips place offering up himself if I needed a story to focus on these issues or for the newspaper, but I always take these offers at face value and wait and see if in their totally sober moments they still feel the same, as it's not an easy thing to have your face put to a homeless problem and I like to make sure they know that. also the newspapers don't always have their best interests in mind but rather the story. They don't often care about them but they care about a story.

This 30ish man just wants help is my thought and has no idea where to get it. I hope he hasn't pinned his hopes on me and the one happy ending I'd shared with him.

They're men. People. Human beings. And I swear to you they are salvageable, good people. Just like you! Click here to see TP's docu-piece on a homeless father and son.

TP out