Help Shannon and her young son keep their home

Hello, my name is Shannon and my little boy and I are being threatened to lose our apartment as a direct consequence of my need to use a wheelchair.

I'm humbled to say this is actually my second fundraiser. Last year I was badly injured when I hurt my leg and severed the main artery and vein... am I better? Not exactly~ my leg is still "under investigation.”

I have inadequate blood flow, a lot of nerve damage and my knee will be permanently unstable. I almost had an amputation, and that is still not off the table as a possibility.

I use a wheelchair to be functional-- and got some super helpful equipment for getting around more. I'm definitely happy to be better enough to be back to taking care of my little boy full time again, it's where he wants to be, at home with momma. We have come a long way from the trauma of last year and our separation during my long hospital stay. I thank everyone for helping us get over the hump to being back at home.

But since I came home, things have not been calm, smooth or easy going, because my landlord of 3.5 problem-free tenant years looked at the disability accommodations I need and after delaying and putting me off a good many weeks, he decided I should move out and began to bully and harass me to leave. (No he never offered me any other apartments--that is a bold face lie he told the media). He offered me money to go, and he said “moving is of course not your only option but given the amenities you want maybe it is for the best.”

In Ontario I am supposed to have rights to be accommodated in my housing under the Charter of Human Rights, and a Landlord has legal obligations called ‘the Duty to Accomodate’.

Taking money to move was not a viable option-beyond the impossible factors of being a disabled single mom, there is a real housing crisis, plus the still-recovering-not-able-to-work income problem, the severe lack of accessible accommodations out there; none that I could afford (for me and my son who is now 7), my sons dad; by court order I cannot move more than 25 kms from Guelph… and he is being pretty insistent that he doesn’t want kiddo to even change schools. Without a doubt there is tremendous stress in being forced to move, let alone being forced to move while in the middle of a critical, life and limb-threatening, severe injury that I’m not even done having surgery for.

So I said no to moving...and promptly amenities like garbage removal were taken away, the door buzzer was definitely not fixed so I couldn't let in the nurse, or a delivery of any kind. But topping it all off, without access to the front door of the building--in any kind of unpleasant weather I am unable to leave the house, with a long sloping, slippery driveway being my only way in/out of the building. I also can't check my mail, I have to ask a friend. Even the laundry was shut down for over a month. Otherwise, this luckily our apartment is a really suitable place that meets all of our needs, and it is HOME.

In October my landlord began the formal process to evict me through the court, claiming that he needed my apartment to convert it to "non-residential use" to build storage for other residents. He argued having a buzzer working again was a severe security issue, but it has turned out the City Bylaw ordered that buzzer fixed, and has also ordered that a garbage receptacle must be restored… those were not amenities that were allowed to be removed. Wins against the bullying? Sort of.

But in February the owner suddenly (allegedly) SOLD the building.

At the end of March the new owners coercively told me that by making a substantial rent increase I could stay and they would "drop all of the court stuff". They said they looked forward to keeping me as a tenant and asked me to sign a new lease (also not legal). They emailed me twice about it, once to send me a copy of the lease with the new rent amount, and also asking me to pay last months rent again; and the second email to mention there was an eviction hearing and if I wanted to stay I was required to sign the new lease. I haven’t been a delinquent tenant and I haven’t caused any problems- I am a great tenant. They should want us!

They did fix the buzzer (under an order from the City Bylaw, but still, it was done) and many other things were repaired that I couldn’t get fixed for years, but it did feel bad that I was basically being asked to pay for those repairs myself, this year and beyond...

I was advised not to agree to a rent increase, but I didn’t say no. Instead I put my cards on the table about my disability related needs. I used an advocate who wrote a very kind and fair letter describing the duty to Accomodate and my circumstances. It was heartfelt stuff.

Things went sideways quick once I asked for the disability accommodations. No more answers to emails. No answer to the tenants rights advocate, no response when I asked for consent to send documents for the hearing by email.

Yeah— I had to hire a courier.

Today, May 4th was supposed to have been the Landlord Tenant Board hearing (on the application started by the previous Landlord, it was 7 months of waiting) to decide if the eviction would be granted or refused. After months of stressful anticipation the time had come to defend my rights. I knew my case was strong.

The other side knew it too because they bailed.

The hearing never happened because they didn't show up. Case dismissed. Abandoned.

Tonight the landlords paralegal literally said they abandoned the application because she knew they wouldn't win.... she said that conclusion was based on the evidence I had submitted to the Board. Then she informed me they will be doing it all over again, starting a whole new eviction application but this time they will demolish our apartment to make an office. An office. "A Sudden change of plans by the landlord". NOT a coincidence, just plain old straight up discrimination. An office. Not my neighbours apartment, ohh no, my apartment. Very convenient for the landlord. Do-over time for them and who cares what they put us through. When I asked about the offer of a new lease and rent increase- she denied it and told me she had no information about that. She said I was making “allegations”. What information did she have?

My disability accommodations request.

I am outraged. I’m losing my faith in people! This is grossly unfair, a human rights violation, and an abuse of the system and of this process. But overall I cannot describe how immensely stressful it has been to go through this experience month after month under the threat, of feeling like I could lose everything, I might have no place to live. The feeling of possible failure in providing stability for my little boy who has found security and a sense of belonging at his school— and we all know how tough things have been for kids his age who missed transitioning into school because of Covid. I stress and feel fear of losing many supportive connections we have in our neighborhood and even in our building, that is truly irreplaceable social capitol for someone dealing with my physical barriers. And I have agonized over days, weeks, and months while looking around the apartment knowing that I cannot even pack my stuff, feeling angry and helpless and focused on all the wrong stuff. Nights are often full of nightmares that people show up and break in and drag me out, while my son is screaming. I have panic attacks. I can’t make decisions. Sometimes I feel like there is no way to go on fighting to stay, but there are no places to go. I have to stew in the knowledge that the stress is literally more than I can take, that it impacts every facet of my existence, all of my relationships, my overall health and my recovery. Point blank, this situation is a nightmare.

And why? What is this all about?

I need a ramp for a 5" step in the hallway and an even smaller ramp at the front door for only 3"-- with some door openers or something to help me manage the door to get in and out. It isn't asking for the moon.

I know now that I truly can't deal with this on my own anymore. It's destroyed my peace, my mental health is suffering, I have a lot of anxiety and my little boy has to go through all of this in proximity to me no matter how I try to hide it, it’s just in the background ambiance of our life. It's not healthy. I need help. I need a lawyer.

I cannot afford a lawyer.

So- Dear Universe, I need help.

I'm starting this fundraiser to pay for legal costs, and this is probably a low-ball estimate for the fees but it definitely will not be less!

the retainer is $750 so that’s the first milestone. After that there is an hourly cost for work of $160, and a $350 flat fee to attend the hearing with me. Cost of printing, and courier, too.

BUT, Worth it…A dedicated lawyer who represents me will not be treated the way that I am, the kind of fear provoking tactics I've encountered, the coercion, the harassment-- and she/he will know the law, know my rights, and be able to advocate for me from a bonafide place of knowledge and professionalism. I need a pit bull.

EDIT: after consulting with more than one lawyer I now know that I have to apply to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. This is complicated enough on its own, but given that the Landlord Tenant Board is involved— I now know I need expert help to avoid overlap between the social justice tribunals. This is not a thing I can navigate on my own without a professional. It’s unlikely that I can have the same lawyer deal with both matters, but the Human Rights Ontario aspect is help with the application *only*.

so technically, I’ve learned that I actually need 2 lawyers. This piece matters to me because of the JUSTICE of the situation— and I have an opportunity to use my voice to speak for many who cannot. I really hope for the Landlord to be held accountable for breaking the law.

Please find it in your hearts to help me get the help we need.

We want to stay home.

Thank you for reading all of this.

<Big exhale>