Homeless

Mar 5, 2009

Blog

One of the big campaign promises from Vancouver’s mayor (whom I voted for) was ending homelessness, and contrary to all promises, the city has just kicked us out of our home. The owner of our rental passed away recently with no will and I mistakenly imagined that there would have to be an amount of time that passed before the city, the trustee, could sell. What if an heir turned up? I guess I was wrong.

What’s a little more insulting is that we haven’t actually had official word from the city, we just had realtor Barbara (BrahBrah) Graham call up to ask if it was ok to show it this Sunday. During dinner, yet – I knew I shouldn’t have answered the phone.

Brahbrah seemed to be slightly affronted that this Sunday was not convenient, like I was just saying it to get back at her because I was pissed and NOT because I’m having my in-laws over for a brunch like we do every year when they visit us from Montreal, so we can also invite over those friends that we’re closest to and share what our lives are like when they’re not visiting us.

Why does the city have to kick us out of the place where my daughter was born? There’s a property manager, its not like they even have to look after it. No, they’d rather move us all out into the street. It’s looking pretty likely that the best possible outcome will be finding a basement suite for double the amount we’re paying now somewhere way the hell out so that my son will have to change schools and we’ll have to buy a car just so we can get anywhere.

I shake my fist at you, Gregor Robertson.

9 Comments

family life, I hate vancouver

8 Comments

monty • Mar 7, 2009 @3:35 pm

Very sorry to hear about your plight, just read about it on the citycaucus blog. It makes no sense that you are being evicted when the city has control of this building. Perhaps someone has stepped forward to claim it and is selling it to get the cash? Otherwise, why is the city and mayor in such a hurry to get you out of there and sell it off? Something fishy going on there.

I hope you’ll confront the mayor and council directly about this. I’m sure the response from Gregor will be “wow, that’s a bummer, I’ll immediately convene an action team and report back on it in a few months.” Perhaps he fooled all of us in the last election.
Annie Wilkinson • Mar 7, 2009 @6:28 pm

Thanks for your thoughts Monty. Renters get kicked out all the time and I know there’s not much we can do about it – I have sent out a few emails so I’ll update this blog if I hear anything!
k-girl • Mar 8, 2009 @9:55 am

What a terrible situation.

We had no idea……
Bill • Mar 10, 2009 @6:34 pm

So I just read Megg’s blog post http://www.geoffmeggs.ca/2009/03/10/city-not-involved-in-family-eviction/#comments — can you confirm what he has said?

Is the city the owner of the property ?
Annie Wilkinson • Mar 10, 2009 @8:51 pm

Hey Bill, Mr. Meggs is totally right. We had another journalist email us who confirmed that its actually the province. So my apologies for shaking my fist at you, Gregor. This is what happens when the only person willing to tell you anything is the handyman. Still haven’t heard from anyone other than the realtor!

I’ve been meaning to write another post about this, so keep an eye out for that!
Bill • Mar 11, 2009 @7:22 am

Thanks for the reply and please accept my best wishes for the future. What you and your family are going through cannot be easy.
Luc Latulippe • Mar 16, 2009 @1:14 pm

Hope you find something soon Annie.
Rebecca Agra • Jul 9, 2009 @8:37 am

Hope you find a home soon!

Hugs from Brazil.