Affected tenants still without housing
NEW GLASGOW — More than 35 people are still without housing after two properties in New Glasgow’s downtown failed fire inspections on March 20. They were immediately issued vacate and close orders.
Lisa Deyoung, the executive director of Viola’s Place, said the shelter has only gotten busier since the eviction, especially during the day when The Hub is available for clients to grab a meal, shower, or hang out.
“We were already maxed out, but we will do everything we can to support everyone. Department of Community Services has been working out of the shelter many days, and our mental health nurse has been meeting with many of these displaced individuals as well. We’re very grateful for their help,” Deyoung said in an emailed statement.
Of the tenants she knew who lived at the March and James Street properties, whether paying tenants or squatters, she only knew that the building’s owner, John Tomlik, had been housed. One tenant has been in hospital since the eviction on March 20 and is waiting for long-term care, while others, Deyoung said, have been camping around the community or have taken up residence in a shed or the ATM section of the local banks.
One of the tenant’s cats has also taken up residence in Viola’s Place for the meantime.
“With each passing day, we can see this getting harder and harder on these displaced tenants as they go longer without a good night’s sleep, a hot meal, and protection from the elements,” she said.
NOTHING IN PLACE BEFORE EVICTIONS
Deyoung described herself as livid before and after the eviction, particularly how the town of New Glasgow handled it.
The day before the eviction on March 19, town councillors and the mayor met with the Department of Community Services to discuss options for housing tenants following the eviction. Deyoung said that Viola’s Place had offered the town to allow tenants to camp in their parking lot for 60 days, with the shelter hiring security to ensure the safety of tenants and neighbourhood residents.
“We understand that tenting is not a solution. However, the reality of the situation is that tenting is the only option for these individuals. In weeks leading up to the eviction, we advised the Town that these displaced tenants would be forced to set up a tent throughout the community, as our shelter was full.
The purpose of wanting to offer our parking lot for a maximum of 60 days was to assist in keeping these individuals safe and provide them with essential resources, such as food, hot showers, dry clothing and sleeping bags, as well as direct access to mental health and support staff to assist them in regaining housing,” she continued.
The offer was turned down by town councillors as not a sustainable solution.
“I feel the decision was selfserving and made with aesthetics in mind and not with the wellbeing of these tenants in the forefront,” Deyoung said.
TOWN’S RESPONSE
When asked why the town turned down the offer of having tenants tent in the Viola’s Place parking lot, New Glasgow mayor, Nancy Dicks, said that tenting didn’t serve all the tenants, many of which are seniors or people with diverse needs who need more support.
“We didn’t feel the tents necessarily addressed that these are folks that had different needs, and not necessarily people that we understood would be appropriately housed in a tent. That was certainly our concern. So, that was the most important relevant part of why and we, in all honesty, didn’t have a lot of time to make that decision,” Dicks said, adding, “I can’t help but think sometimes if you don’t have a short-term solution, maybe you tend to work harder to find a longterm solution.”
Dicks added that the town is working with local organizations and has a designated staff person working to try to get people adequate housing.
“We’ve provided a staff person that it is their responsibility to work with the community organizations that support people in these situations. So, our staff person has been in very close contact, working with people and looking for housing options,” she added. BUSING
When the offer to have evicted tenants camp in the parking lot was turned down, Deyoung said that town councillors had suggested that Viola’s Place bus these people out of town to Halifax.
“The large majority of those paying and non-paying tenants are Pictou County residents or have resided in Pictou County for decades. The loss of their home would be traumatic enough, let alone being ‘shipped’ out of their community,” she said.
When asked if this statement was true and if it had been suggested to Deyoung, Dicks said it was the first she had heard of such a thing.
“Certainly not to my knowledge, unless they’re being bused to family,” she said. “That certainly is not a suggestion from the town.”
She reiterated that the town takes the housing crisis very seriously and is working hard with community partners to ensure that people are adequately housed.