Editor:
Re: Seacrest evictees stand pat at site, Nov. 18.
I moved to Seacrest Motel and RV Park last year. I had many reasons for doing so, including because I couldn’t find affordable housing.
I am on a provincial disability pension. The housing that is available in my price range wasn’t suitable for many reasons, including management that was discriminatory because of my disability, assuming I may be a drug user etc.… When I had any valid reasons for making a complaint, I wasn’t taken seriously and suffered greatly – physically and mentally.
There were safety reasons, such as violence, drug-related activity and property crime. In the last place I lived, someone broke into my apartment three times and attempted to break in once while I was sleeping. I have many police files.
In the past two years, I have moved, at great expense, five times. I finally broke down after spending all my savings and borrowed some money to buy a trailer home. I figured I would have a little more control over my environment and always have a roof over my head.
I realized, when I started looking for a pad to rent, that there are few availabilities and that anywhere close to Vancouver, where my doctors are, were very high prices.
Then I found Seacrest.
The management – Nina, Barney and Paulette – were understanding, non-judgmental and accepting of me, which was very refreshing.
I really appreciate them all.
Shortly after moving in, I found out the property may be developed. This causes me stress because the uncertainty has put my life on hold.
I’d finally found somewhere that community is very important – and that is important to me. I have volunteered thousands of hours in communities and am doing so now. The uncertainty stalls me from finding a job, which I am ready to do after doing a form of chemotherapy last year and feeling well enough to do so, but now I may have to wait. Working can afford me a better quality of life.
I also cannot move much further out of the Vancouver area, because access to doctors and specialists would be greatly limited and is something I just can’t afford to do financially or physically.
I have been homeless in the past and ended up in the hospital very sick and almost dying in 2010.
Needless to say, I do not want to be homeless again, but I am afraid that is the next step for me if this affordable pad is taken from me.
Unfortunately, I feel this is my last stop before homelessness. I don’t have anywhere else to go from here.
Please do whatever you can to help our situation in having affordable housing.
R. Vezina, Surrey