Fighting homelessness! 2 weeks to go.
Here's a post I never thought I’d type. And I really didn't want to, but the situation is getting desperate.
And I think the more voices need to speak up on what happens to disabled people in Ontario, Canada in 2024. Class Consciousness people, please be aware it's us vs the billionaires. I swear your neighbor is not your enemy. It's the billionaires.
So on July 27th, applied for a place. Aug 2nd get told that the landlord is considering my application. They want first and last month's rent up front. $5400. Well I had just paid my current place rent. I needed time to find that kind of money on a long weekend.
Aug 07th, Current landlord will only give last month's rent back if I sign a form stating I must vacate on Aug 31st.
I call my real estate agent and he is pretty sure we're getting the place. So I confidently signed the paper. I have all the money ready for the new place.
August 12th, my real estate agent says the house I applied for, accepted SOMEONE ELSE’S OFFER. I was denied because I’m on disability.
So that's how things went from bad to worse real quick. I have the money, but noone wants to rent to someone on ODSP. (Ontario Disability Support Program).
When I fill out the rental applications, I always state I’m a freelance illustrator first. I try to leave the disability part off because I know how much it deterrs prospective landlords.
But then they always want more info because Freelance Illustration isn't a steady job. So I have to explain the ODSP part after. And that's when they close my file and say thank you but no thanks.
No questions asked, no empathy, just immediate judgement.
I contact my friend at the food bank. She gets me in contact with my city’s housing support. All they can offer me is there may be enough room at a shelter for us. But we can't bring the dog or cat . WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN OFFER???
What do you mean there is no backup plan for how disabled people can get around the landlord discrimination? What do you mean that in the years since homelessness has been growing in our city, NO POLICIES HAVE BEEN ENACTED/ NOTHING HAS CHANGED? All you have to offer is maybe space at a shelter???? Do you know the trauma unnecessarily inflicted on my kids because my original landlord sold my place??? And having to find somewhere else for my pets, my dog with heart failure due to die any day, this can't be fucking happening I pay my rent I’ve been a good tenant.
Like are we fucking kiddding???? Disabled people don't ask to be born. Treating us like the very bottom waste because capitalism only values able bodied individuals.
The stress on my shoulders is fucking incredible. I'm very terrified, folks!
I'm getting your packages to the post office, there's been a few delays, some things will show up a bit late. I'm a one man show, and looking for a home and evading homelessness has been taking months and getting nowhere and it's wearing me down.
