Calgary Bloggers: A Call to Action

On Monday, June 19, Calgary city council will be discussing the issue of illegal suites. I'm calling for all of you to get involved by contacting the mayor and all alderpeople to give them your input.

And, hopefully, you'll see the impact of this debate as I do.

At the end of 2005, the vacancy rate in Calgary had shrunk to 1.2 per cent from 4.3 per cent the year before, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Meanwhile, housing prices are skyrocketing, with the average home resale in Calgary $358,214 in May, up 43.6 per cent from the same month a year ago.

Hear me out.

I'm one of millions of Canadians who lives well below the established poverty lines in this country. My circumstances are fueled by illness. As such, I am a perpetual renter and, as one who lives in Calgary, the reality has been the same for years: there is an extreme lack of affordable housing. Ergo, because I need to live in the city to access health services, I'm basically stuck having to live with an endless stream of roommates because I can't afford the going rate for a suite of my own. (I will detail some of the more hairy things I've had to live with as a result in my letter to city officials but, due to the personal information involved, I will not post that letter here.)

When someone like me is forced, due to poverty, to live with other people because the city's low income housing company has such a long waiting list they won't even tell applicants how many names might be on it or how many years they may have to wait (and, in most cases, it is years) and when I have to put up with threats to my health and personal security, you can bet I'm in favour of legalizing extra suites.

The NIMBY (not in my backyard) people have to realize that there are extra costs to them as taxpayers when they refuse to allow for additional housing in their neighbourhoods. First of all, I've had to access the health system more because stress inflames my symptoms. They pay for that. Secondly, as poor people have to access more social services, taxpayers must also foot the bill. Thirdly, they pay an emotional cost when those oh so annoying homeless people who embarass their delicate sensibilities cross their paths on a daily basis. Do they really want to increase those numbers?

There are costs. To all involved.

Why should my health and security suffer because some homeowner, who can't think beyond their comfy, rose-coloured world, won't allow me the luxury of having decent housing? Especially in this, the richest province in Canada? Does that make any ethical or moral sense?

Let's stop pretending that people in need of low income housing are all criminals and drug addicts who are only out to disturb pristeen suburban neighbourhoods. There are many of us who have actually lived in those neighbourdhoods for years in roommate situations who are among some of the most responsible members of society. We treat our rented homes well. We pay our bills. We beautify our yards with flowers. We never cause trouble. We watch out for our neighbours. We want to live in safe and clean places too. We need to.

We are not the dregs of society.

We are just people who would like to have the dignity of living in decent homes - not in abusive situations with unscrupulous landlords who can bleed us dry because they know the vacancy rates are near 0%. They know we have nowhere to go except to a homeless shelter and if you don't think that some take advantage of the situation, you are sorely mistaken.

The city is not in a position to clamp down on the thousands of illegal suites right now. It doesn't have the manpower and shouldn't have to go to the expense. It would be better off financially if it allowed these suites to exist and ensured that homeowners had their suites up to code - so as not to endanger tenants. And there are dangers out there that tenants cannot complain about because they risk the threat of being evicted if they contact the health department or a bylaw officer. The city needs to allow tenants the freedom to live in places that are safe. The current policies preclude that.

So, please join me in contacting all city officials involved - the mayor and alderpeople. I would start a petition, but I'm not sure how much time we have to take action on this before it is decided.

Let's make our city better for everyone and let's stop feeding the fear and stereotypes that too many people have in this city about poor people.

All we want is a decent place to live, just like everybody else.