Emergency Help-- Help get James back to Housing

Hi all,

I'm reaching you here now out of an absolute emergency situation--I need to get through the end of the month with temporary housing and have a bridge back to stable housing.

Why Help is Needed

With COVID eliminating much DJ work for the past two years, up until mid-October 2022 I was renting a room just off Queen West in a rooming house as the best housing solution I could afford. With that, though landlord repeatedly entered my unit without need or my permission-- a complete nightmare scenario. Sure enough, as if that wasn't enough on it's own, I repeatedly found things missing, including an iPad, and a pair of Audio Technica professional DJ headphones worth quite a bit. After it happened a third time (that I caught), my landlord (who continually gaslit me) decided to do so once more, and asked if I was so unhappy, why didn't I simply leave? This was something he said whenever I brought up one of the multitude of issues with the building. He suggested I could have my deposit back tomorrow and be out. In a moment of emotion, I (against better judgment) agreed to it--it goes without saying that I should have had a new lease lined up. Given I couldn't find one immediately, I took spaces in local night-to-night housing like traveler's homes and hostels, as the most affordable night to night option while I try to lineup both a lease and the funding available for it.

Fast forward to November 21st, now, and I have completely exhausted my savings, and been completely utterly broke for the better part of two weeks, boucing between being in the drop-in centres (only available during the day), the TTC and at times hospitals, as my body simply can't take it. Sleep, as you might imagine, is little and far between in these scenarios.

It's bitterly cold outside, and I need to find safe places to sleep night to night as I try to secure a new lease. Due to the emergency nature of the situation, I've been trying to access the Toronto shelter system since late October, placing over 200 calls to them to look for space, and everything is always full, with the incredibly rare exception being Seton House (colliqually known as Satan House), a place known to be incredibly, incredibly dangerous (even among the typically dangerous Toronto Sheter system).

The Funding

The Funding will go to renting out inexpensive hotel/hostel spaces, as I look for an affordable new lease. Thankfully (in a glass half full scenario), due to my status as both on ODSP and currently without housing, I qualify for the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB), meaning that as long as I can find a suitable lease at or below roughly $1850 for a 1 bedroom, the government bursary will top up the housing portion of my ODSP cheque to match the cost of rent. I just need to get there. This is critically where your help comes in. More details on COHB can be found here: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/housing-support/rent-geared-to-income-subsidy/canada-ontario-housing-benefit/

Please don't hesitate to forward those details to anyone else in vulnerable housing situations, as it's critically important for them to know that there might be a solution out there given they have the right pieces in place.

Why the funding? I need a stable platform (such as a hotel room or hostel) from which to work to find a lease, and it won't be the first or second offer I make, unfortunately. It's bitterly cold out, there are no shelter spaces, and I can't be freezing on the street. Renting rooms night to night with scrambling in between means you're focusing on the immediate concerns of dragging your life around you on your back, and doesn't allow for composed focus on finding a lease. Your help will ensure I can rent out appropriate space on a longer term basis (starting with a week as a goal), and excess amount can either be returned on a ratioed basis or would help me purchase simple furniture/apartment essentials for the new space. You'll also have an automatic invite to the housewarming (which will of course be open to all, but you'll hold a special place in my heart for helping me get there.)

You

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you're able to donate, for helping me find a path back to stable housing. Toronto as many know is a nightmare at times when it comes to the rental market, but your help can turn that into a story of friends coming together. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.