Thread by @Gruesomebrat, I've debated whether or not to address this part of shelter-hotel living [...]

Gru

Gruesomebrat

I& #39;ve debated whether or not to address this part of shelter-hotel living publicly for about a week and a half now, but fuck it. Let& #39;s strip away some of @bradrossTO& #39;s lies, shall we?

1/

On CBC& #39;s Metro Morning on Mar 31, Brad came on after a short talk with 2 encampment residents, and claimed "So what happens is... they get a room, it& #39;s a secure room, it& #39;s their room, they have a key, they have a bathroom..."

2/

Brad went on to further claim that "More importantly, they get the supports they need, starting with developing a housing plan, because we know that shelters are not housing..."

3/

I want to address both this morning. First, the secure room... that every day, minimum 3 times a day, is subject to staff entering on "wellness checks" at 01:00, 08:30, and 20:30. I don& #39;t know about Brad, but I& #39;m usually trying to sleep at 1am, and often just waking at 8:30

4/

This short clip is this morning& #39;s wellness check, and these morning ones are the least intrusive of the three.

5/

This morning marks 6 weeks since I arrived at the Novotel, and thus far, the support that has been offered has been, umm... nothing, actually. Because my homelessness didn& #39;t metastasize into mental health issues or addiction, a shelter& #39;s only purpose is as a ladder to housing

6/

In 6 weeks, I have been approached by staff to talk about the next rung on that ladder precisely zero times. My experience of the last 6 years (in shelters, tents, couch-surfing) has taught me that the reason shelters don& #39;t discuss next steps towards housing is because...

7/

there isn& #39;t a next step! Shelters exist solely to warehouse unhoused people out of sight, out of mind. So long as people don& #39;t have to look out their front window and be reminded that they are one bad day away from losing everything and ending up my neighbour in the park...

8/

the system has done it& #39;s job. Even the City& #39;s own PR around the Novotel shelter-hotel admits that "Clients are expected to develop a housing plan with their Housing Help Worker, and then to... secure housing throughout the city."
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/930f-20210210-45TheEsplanade-OverviewFAQ-FINALAODA.pdf

9/">https://www.toronto.ca/wp-conten...

There& #39;s so much more that could be said, that needs to be said, but I& #39;m just one guy, scared and alone, waiting to hear back from shelter staff on whether or not last Friday& #39;s covid test came back +ve or -ve and I& #39;m fucking tired... just so goddamned tired if it all.

END for now

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