Dear Editor,
[Re: Renters help doubled, 91原创 Advance Times, Aug. 7]
Without looking at the past definition of the relocation policy council had before, I believe a vulnerable person was a senior or person who has a disability that is recognized as such, I was recognized as such and haven鈥檛 lived in this apartment complex for 10 years, the city鈥檚 new policy should be compared with the old one.
Be aware of this: it doesn鈥檛 matter how much money is compensated to the tenant, the tenant鈥檚 income that is monthly has to be able to pay the rents out there. Once the compensation is gone the tenant鈥榮 monthly cheque will have to be enough to pay the rent and the other costs of living expenses. Pensioners and low-income residents and the people living on the street are the vulnerable people out there right now because of their income. The lowest rent may be $1,400 or more out there if you鈥檙e able to find that, and that rent is not affordable. The rents out there would take up 2/3 of a pensioner鈥檚 income and with other costs would leave a person with very little or nothing left over or possibly be in the red in debt.
91原创 City should not be passing any developments where tenants are involved unless the city or the developer at the time of application can guarantee affordable rents/accommodations to these tenants who will be displaced and within the boundaries of the municipality. These accommodations should not be what they, as the city or the developer, determines suitable, but the tenant must have at least the same size accommodation and amenities as they have now or more, and they must be affordable for the tenant.
Most of all tenant鈥檚 should not be required to take an accommodation in a place that has the potential to be torn done or is infested with rats, etc. Accommodations are for the well-being of the individual not for the abuse of the paying tenant by having unlivable conditions where it will be destructive to one鈥檚 mental or physical well-being. These type of apartments that are being run by slumlords should be closed and future licences denied to the landlords, and the city, all city mayors and council members should be acting on this immediately, this has been going on for far too long and has been overlooked and ignored for decades by city councillors in every municipality.
These tiny apartments that are being built and are being approved by the municipalities may be suitable to some person but by no means do they represent livable housing or socially acceptable housing where one can entertain an activity that is family oriented or one鈥檚 individual needs to expand, explore their future personal activities or goals. For a senior or a person with personal needs for space for hobbies or social interaction these tiny apartments are void of this human endeavour because of lack of space, and I believe would lead to a state of mind that would not be conducive to or be considered culturally appropriate or an assistance to a person鈥檚 overall well being.
There isn鈥檛 one person I have spoken to who agrees with these tiny suites and the treatment toward prospective renters of their ability to afford or being able to afford or to choose between different sized apartment suites, and that they are being forced by developers and municipalities who are approving these developments without any consideration to the person out there if these suites are suitable or affordable. Even people who are working and making a reasonable income do not like these tiny suites and find them unsuitable, and they find they are not getting their money's worth in accommodation or the respect for their living needs.
Moving expenses, to hire movers have become another insane expense 鈥渁nd should be covered fully by the developer from start to the end.鈥� Seniors and people with disabilities should not have to pack or unpack their personal possessions. This should be done by the movers at the expense of the developer.
The buying of all packaging and boxes and materials should be paid by the developer. The service fees of reconnecting hydro or the internet or postal changes should be paid by the developer. If 91原创 City hasn鈥檛 included this in their new relocation policy, I suggest they amend this policy immediately and include these steps as well as they are expenses to the tenant.
To redevelop is a necessity but to abuse, neglect and add on expenses to seniors, people with disabilities on a fixed income in my eyes is criminal. Fixed incomes means exactly what it is stated in those words 鈥� people are living within a budget, some and probably many under the poverty line 鈥� and if redevelopments must take place the safety, security and the welfare of these individuals must be the first priority before any project is approved.
The municipalities need to build more housin,g and there is no doubt about this that it is a necessity, but be aware that there is a human responsibility to the people out there for their personal needs and requirements when they are asked to rip up their lives from their foundation.
Mayors and council members in every municipality out there should have a universal understanding and policy that addresses the fundamental problems facing redevelopment when tenants are involved and be addressing them with every single tenant which meets the needs of these residents individually in the city鈥檚 policy.
A person on low-income and a senior as well as a person with disabilities may well need different recognition for their needs and accommodations. 
People out there don鈥檛 know what these tenants are going through unless they are friends or families to these tenants. Mayors and councillors should go to these apartment sites prior to the approval of redevelopment and converse with the tenants at a general meeting in the complex to find out how these people are being affected.
This is a country that needs to uphold a vision that addresses the needs of tenants and their needs to be able to afford to uproot themselves. There is many issues involving moving and if one is forced to move out of their communities the person will lose their doctors, their connection with their friends and possibly with their families. It can be a very destructive move in the social structure of our societies, also with adhesive bonding to our well being and our mental state if not addressed with appropriate measures.
Tenants should be rehoused in their municipalities unless they so choose to move another part of the province.
All municipalities are living homes and potential living quarters for people who are moving within the municipal boundaries these same places are housing individuals who have contributed and have given their life鈥檚 blood to these communities. Whether rich or poor these people who reside and live here need to be respected and to be given the opportunity to live or work here with affordability in their lives. Tenants are entitled the same rights of living life in affordable housing especially if they are to be uprooted.
鈥淢ove鈥� is much more than a singular word. It encompasses a passion of life lived and a life looking forward to live. Uproot people from where they reside is more than a notice given to a tenant. It involves many layers of financial and human costs with emotions abound in every direction especially if your a senior, a low-income person or person with disabilities. 
91原创 City, 91原创 Township or the province in the whole needs to address redevelopments with only one thing above all else, 鈥渢he tenant has a right to have their lives addressed with respect and dignity before they have to get up and move and that means future housing must be suitable, available and affordable, and the moving expenses paid for by the developer, and it should not only be a municipal policy but a provincial law, and no it should not be different in every municipality. Rights are common law. There is no difference between common decency in this province or any part of this country Canada.
 鈥淲e are the house that Jack built and our Mayors and council members are the tenants of our home.鈥�
Cran Campbell, 91原创 City