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I'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's strip away some of @bradrossTO's lies, shall we?
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On CBC'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's a secure room, it's their room, they have a key, they have a bathroom..."
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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..."
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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't know about Brad, but I'm usually trying to sleep at 1am, and often just waking at 8:30
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This short clip is this morning's wellness check, and these morning ones are the least intrusive of the three.
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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't metastasize into mental health issues or addiction, a shelter's only purpose is as a ladder to housing
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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't discuss next steps towards housing is because...
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there isn't a next step! Shelters exist solely to warehouse unhoused people out of sight, out of mind. So long as people don'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...
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the system has done it's job. Even the City'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
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https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/930f-20210210-45TheEsplanade-OverviewFAQ-FINALAODA.pdf
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There's so much more that could be said, that needs to be said, but I'm just one guy, scared and alone, waiting to hear back from shelter staff on whether or not last Friday's covid test came back +ve or -ve and I'm fucking tired... just so goddamned tired if it all.
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