Rebuilding After a House Flood and City Water Main Break.

Rebuilding After a House Flood and City Water Main Break. campaign photo, 1 of 3Rebuilding After a House Flood and City Water Main Break. campaign photo, 1 of 3

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$460 raised of $25K CAD

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Rebuilding After a House Flood and City Water Main Break.

Rebuilding After a House Flood and City Water Main Break.

0% complete

$460 raised of $25K CAD

9 donations
Donation protected
Undaunted and unfailing my plan remains the same. A city water main break burst a pipe and flooded the entire house. It was a torrent through the ceiling and floors and started before I woke up in the morning and everything was ruined. The water streamed through hard right through every floor, filling the basement with a foot of water and still flooding for 30 minutes before the city shut it off. The walls were soft in days.

My elderly mother could not help (she hadn't lived in the house for two decades, separated from my father), and the rest of the family just.didnt.have.time. despite a court order to have it fixed.

I was left without water for 4 months (no one showed up to fix it and lawyer wouldn't respond), BUT I was able to buy water and have it delivered daily - 40 litres a day, for drinking and cleaning plus cleaning supplies. 4k total in 4 months, not including regular groceries.

A major flood can take 4-6 months minimum to dry behind walls before renos can be done and I was left to clean, repair, maintain the place by myself with Absolutely Nowhere To Go (there was and is a local housing shortage plus I was still taking care of my business...

I separated by tarps, two rooms for eating, sleeping, and computer set up (I also do life coaching from home), as I tried to look for alternative arrangements.

3-4 hours a day was spent cleaning and mold maintenance in the living area, airing it out, and the worst part of the house I only had daylight to work on.

I never left the house. I hung on like dear life depended on it because it did.

I bailed out water with buckets for three days. Then tore out water logged carpets of the main floor by hand, cutting them into 1 foot square segments and putting them in garbage bags (like a hundred g'bags); then broke down large furniture, sofa, love seat, shelves, with a saw and also carried, dragged and used a wagon to remove it all to the dumpster in the driveway. Carried every water sodden item that I could also to the dumpster (2 dumpsters also paid for); lugged out drywall and plaster myself also. This took all day every day.

Also throughout had numerous internet hacks I had to navigate around to do business which was obviously sabotaged, that had been an ongoing problem for 2 yrs...! I reported it. Ad & email interference was confirmed by the Ad venue.

I ended up losing all my personal belongings: 50k worth of framed and unframed artwork, plus items I had bought 2 years before for a move (electronic security systems, office supplies including printer, curtains, Jackery 2000 generator, wall tiles, soundproof foam, electric mower, weed whipper, a safe with old documents in it, a Joseph Campbell autographed book, personal photos of my late partner and vacations, art supplies, clothes, a few antique pieces, and two limited edition art pieces of value).

I still woke up singing everyday and playing with my fur babies and pet business (rare and small, and recommended across Canada). anticipating help and change. I had plans.

Then at the worst possible time, after just getting a court date to amend the order for them to fix the place, my phone and computer crashed while I was trying to get legalities sorted out!! ** Another month and 1,000, and another dumpster and the house would have been done!! What was the rush I still can't fathom!

I clearly communicated all of this to their lawyer who barely acknowledged an email if at all. I was never able to get a lawyer and believe me I tried. No calls back.

** At the prior court date the Judge had told the lawyer and I was present - Not to force an injunction, that I and my dogs & business were allowed to stay, that mother's name was not on anything, she didn't own the house. The lawyer pretended a Writ of sale was needed but he had the bill amount wrong by four times the amount. The Judge said no, still couldn't throw me out and it was done. I don't blame my mother, the lawyer had instructed her not to talk to me (?!) so I figure he wasn't communicating everything to her either. A year after my father passed away the lawyer sent me a letter to move but the advice I had gotten was that I didn't have to. Their lawyer even threatened to have me pay their proceedings and threatened to take any future mortgage I might get (seriously, in an email he wrote this).

Weeks later the lawyer ignored what the Judge said and told me he still was throwing me out and if I didn't sign a paper to be out in 2 months he would do it in 2 days basically. This was right after the flood. But...also reassured me that the family didn't want me thrown out if there was nowhere to go (?!) There wasn't. The legal advice I got was that the paper he had me sign was not legally binding because the paperwork still has to go through Landlord and Tenant Bureau, that's Ontario Law, even if it was a Writ of Sale or family member (no Writ was filed, the mortgage was paid 20 years before).

I had lived there alone with my father for 20 yrs, except for when I went to school a short time for post graduate studies. No one else was there, it was just me and my father.

The family's lawyer then took the opportunity to show up the day before the court date to amend the details of the previous order, to force the move...Sheriff shouted at me and I was left standing there until an acquaintance of mine was able to give me a drive and temp place. The police followed us there for no reason. No one got back to me after emailing about when to pick up my personal belongings.

They took 225,000 value but more importantly my beloved dogs I had for 6 & 8 years!! Registered preservation breed dogs that I love heart and soul (only person to have a rare line in Canada and I was so proud of them). I was told I could get them all back the next day, but once it hit in Toronto's hands the gov't said if I didn't pay 23,000 in 2 weeks for boarding them, then I was forced to forfeit all of them and I.had.no.say and I tried, in fact the more I tried I was called names by Gov't staff ("vexatious" after I did what their process said and I was told the opposite would happen).

I thought I was just going to die over this. I love my dogs so much and they said I'd get them all back!! I did everything to hang onto the place and do it myself. I'm still in constant worry over them.

It was an illegal eviction and illegal seizure. No standards of care were violated, there was ample water and food, dry area, blankets, pads, and air purifier I had just set up. It was not a commercial facility. It was a legal home business the city already knew about because I asked years before, and I had rights. It was backlogged after Covid like everyone else, plus the hacks sabotaging. ** BUT they weren't there for the purpose of dogs, they were there over this phony eviction. The home was in the process of cleaning after a water main break flood, for a job that would normally take a few men and 6 months. They were not allowed on the property to do that.

I left with 2 pair of leggings, 3 t-shirts, a robe, a blouse, and a pair of Crocs and anemia.

The house sold almost right away, it got fixed up and re-sold again a year later. Even though they were told not to and didn't own it...I got nothing from the sale or losses and when I sent the lawyer a list of my losses, he ignored that also.

I reported possible racketeering to the RCMP but no one got back to me yet.

The county took me to court as if I was somehow in control of all what happened and it was a hostile courtroom for all to see, plus they ignored evidence of 4,000 in receipts plus photos. Every time I opened my mouth practically to clarify I was treated like it was a battle of wills but that wasn't the point.

** The lawyer(s) I talked to out of town, afterwards, said they weren't allowed to do any of that, plus other details I can't put here but I need a retainer to pursue a lawsuit.

Either way my plan is to move to a safe, supportive community. The plan has changed slightly but basically the same.

The fundraiser will be used to start over for a home/art studio, tiny house if I have to. The cottage style home in the pic is a frame that includes doors, windows, roof, loft for 25k. I am eternally grateful for any donation! Stuff happens and so can a string of bad luck but fight for what you love is an anthem. No one else is helping me financially. I pay my way and extra from freelance writing and readings goes into business expenses and recovering lost items. I might be getting older but I'm not old and still have a lot of goals. I never thought I'd be fundraising.

* Yes, I have literary awards and radio awards for my poetry to lyrics project and I'm very hard working, even invited to Sundance Film Festival for my book to be pitched...but that doesn't change circumstances. I am happy, healthy, and goal focussed.

This is an on-grid plan with hydro-heating and wood stove. There is no affordable housing locally so I'm moving, period. There are no other plans or options at this time.

** A budget is included here in one of the Updates.

⭐ I am willing to do an Art Patronage arrangement where in exchange for a house. I would give you a body of new artwork to be completed within a five year's time for an exhibit that all sales funds would go to you. You could check on the progress of work at any time and would be guaranteed to make your investment back. For 30-50 pieces of art approximately but patronage would be significantly more than this fundraiser. * I am not looking for a any other arrangement other than strictly professional art patron support for a house in exchange for the artwork. Message me if interested, could do as a private donation with a contract.
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Organizer

Profile photo of Lisa Lachapelle
Lisa Lachapelle
Organizer
Sarnia, ON

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