Jessica Larabee is a young woman who receives Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits. On September 6^th, 2010, she saw an advertisement on Viewit.ca for a bachelor apartment operated by a property management company with residential properties across the Greater Toronto Area. The location – downtown Toronto – was good and, at $739/month, the rent was affordable to her.

The next day, Jessica called the number listed in the ad and spoke to a rental agent. When Jessica asked about the rental criteria, the agent said that they would do a credit check and that the lease would be for one year. The rental agent then asked Jessica if she was employed. When Jessica said that she was receiving ODSP benefits, the rental agent told her that she would need to get someone to co-sign on the lease and she would also need to provide copies of her medical documentation. Jessica was shocked and asked for an explanation, to which the rental agent replied, “They are running a business and not a homeless shelter.” The rental agent then rudely ended the call.

To see if someone in paid employment (and not receiving disability benefits) would be treated this way, Jessica asked her mother, Francine Larabee, to anonymously call and inquire about the apartment. Francine contacted the rental agent and, like Jessica, was asked if she was employed. Francine said “Yes.” The rental agent seemed pleased by this and, as expected, did not tell Jessica’s mother that she would need to provide a co-signor or medical documentation. These extra requirements were made of Jessica simply because she was receiving disability benefits. The rental agent appeared to be acting on the discriminatory assumption that a person in receipt of ODSP benefits will not be a good tenant.

A few days later, Theresa Thornton from CERA called the building and confirmed that rental applicants in receipt of ODSP would need to provide a co-signor to be eligible for an apartment.

On September 24, 2012, Jessica filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.  She hopes her application will stop the property management company from discriminating in the future. CERA is represented her. The Application was settled at mediation. The terms of the deal are confidential. 

SOURCE: http://www.equalityrights.org/cera/?page_id=653

More YWCA Elm Centre residents upset

Yet another tenant has come out saying the building is crawling with drug users, aggressive and abusive drug dealers, and 'Johns' who frequent at least one unit that is being used by a tenant as a brothel. 

View Toronto Sun full video here:

http://video.cnews.canoe.ca/video/featured/latest-videos/1741952781001/more-ywca-elm-centre-residents-upset/1758054846001 

This story here from the Globe  and Mail tells of the success of the YWCA Toronto. 

This article provoked a lively discussion. Aside from persons getting paid, there is little support for the YWCA Toronto. Read comment section here: 


IMPORTANT LINK: 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/300-unit-ywca-residence-opening-for-low-income-women/article4198671/comments/ 

Recovering addict sees drug use at YWCA shelter

A woman who moved into a new downtown Toronto YWCA that is meant to be a safe haven for recovering addicts says the daily struggle with her addiction has been made more difficult because she's being exposed to drug use. The $80-million apartment building on Elm Street opened in May, and Analee Hopkins took part in the opening ceremonies.  

Read full story on CBC here! You can also view a video here: 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/07/10/toronto-ywca-elm-street.html?cmp=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 

TORONTO -- The YWCA is evicting a tenant who complained publicly about assault, death threats, drugs and alleged prostitution in a housing residence run by the agency.
Patricia Huculak, a 39-year-old mother of two living in the YWCA's Riverdale apartment for battered women, received an eviction notice Wednesday afternoon that gives her until Aug. 31 to move out.
Huculak contacted the Toronto Sun last month, saying the Y ignored complaints women living there violently assaulted her and made death threats against her children.
Other tenants complained to the Sun about violence, assaults, drug use, prostitution, men living in that building and at another YWCA facility in North Toronto and that women there were forced to share shower facilities with transgendered men.
Police in 55 Division corroborated some of the claims, saying they make frequent calls to the Riverdale building on complaints ranging from assaults and drugs to prostitution.
Tenants told the Sun the YWCA has repeatedly failed to deal with their complaints and suggested those who do complain face retribution. 

"Please do not print our names," a group of tenants wrote in a fax correspondence with the Sun late last month.
"Vocal women have been evicted in the past."
After receiving the eviction notice Wednesday, Huculak said she's terrified about what will happen to her and her children but said she feared repercussions and didn't wish to speak further.
"All the women who have given these complaints are the ones who ganged up on me and my kids," she said.
"The anxiety is high, the fear is high ... do we need to go and pack our suitcases and go to a shelter?" she said. "This is what I'm worried about."
YWCA's acting CEO, Sally Palmateer, said privacy considerations restricted what she could say about the case but insisted Huculak's eviction was unrelated to her bringing the story to the media.
Huculak's notice stated she is being evicted because "issues between (her) and a number of other tenants have escalated to the point that positive action must be taken."
It also stated notices are being served to a number of other women in the building.
Meanwhile, the other tenants say they have grown fearful about speaking out against the YWCA.
The YWCA sent a memo about media coverage of complaints to tenants on June 29 and posted it in both buildings advising the following:
"We do not wish to see these conflicts escalate any further and therefore we urge you to think carefully before making further contact with the media, even though you may feel your side of the story has not been told. You are, of course, free to do as you like but media contact can put you in the spotlight in an unfavourable light."
Some women contacted by the Sun viewed the memo as a threat, but requested anonymity in making the allegation.
"Many of us perceived the memo as a threat, as a way of putting us down and controlling us," said one tenant of a North Toronto YWCA building. "It was posted on the bulletin boards on each floor and put in everyone's mailbox."
Palmateer said she couldn't comment because it was "an internal matter ... the memo to tenants isn't really meant for the media."
Councillor Doug Holyday, who previously said that the province should yank funding to the YWCA if it can't properly manage its properties, still plans to approach the city's auditor general with the issue.
"On the surface, it doesn't sound right," he said yesterday.
"The complainant gets tossed and that doesn't sound like what should happen, but I don't know all the details. Maybe there's another side of the story, but I just think if something's amiss, someone has to look into it."

SOURCE: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2009/07/10/10086361-sun.html