Comments on: MPP Consultation – Kitchener-Waterloo (July 3) http://www.povertywatchontario.ca/2008/07/30/mpp-consultation-kitchener-waterloo-july-3/ To monitor and inform on cross-Ontario activity on the poverty reduction agenda Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:38:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brenda Bulmer http://www.povertywatchontario.ca/2008/07/30/mpp-consultation-kitchener-waterloo-july-3/comment-page-1/#comment-36783 Brenda Bulmer Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:17:40 +0000 http://povertywatchontario.ca/?p=178#comment-36783 I agree Christine. People should be paying 30% of their income in rent. I am paying market rent of $926.00 per month in a geared-to-income unit managed by Waterloo Region Housing Inc. I am paying more than 30% of my income in rent. We are currently looking into co-op housing because it is cheaper than the required amount demanded by the Housing Authority. I agree Christine. People should be paying 30% of their income in rent. I am paying market rent of $926.00 per month in a geared-to-income unit managed by Waterloo
Region Housing Inc. I am paying more than 30% of my
income in rent. We are currently looking into co-op housing because it is cheaper than the required amount
demanded by the Housing Authority.

]]> By: Christine http://www.povertywatchontario.ca/2008/07/30/mpp-consultation-kitchener-waterloo-july-3/comment-page-1/#comment-9935 Christine Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:37:29 +0000 http://povertywatchontario.ca/?p=178#comment-9935 I'm hoping that you & your 120 guests met in the Schwabens' conference room last July, & were offered bottled water, whilst you all chatted about poverty. Laughing. Poverty can't be as a result of lacking in an education: I attended the University of Guelph, & yet I'm poor anyway. It can't be as a result of a violent upbringing: I grew up within a highly respected family, with educated parents, but I'm poor regardless. Poverty isn't as a result of minimum wage incomes: I earn $17.60 an hour x 30 hrs a week. $17.60 an hour with 14 years of company service sounds secure, but after all the deductions, it provides a take home pay of $1,500 a month. I've always lived alone, so poverty can't be a result of having children. My own poverty is caused by my high monthly rental expense of $650. The standard mathematical equation suggests that everyone should pay a maximum of 30% of their take home pay on housing. According to that calculation, I should be able to find myself a lovely place to rent for $450 a month, inclusive. That's not realistic. Would the City budget be able to afford to pay my Landlord the difference between the 30% that I can afford & the market rent that the Landlord demands [a difference of $200 per month]? I know that I can't wait for even 1 year for a "geared to income" unit to become available. I know that many poor people are having the same struggle with their rental expenses. Poverty creates stress, which contributes to domestic violence, anxiety, sick leave, worry, migraines, depression & sleepless nights. Perhaps my suggestion of the gov't paying the difference to peoples' present Landlords could work along with the present geared to income housing system. Thanks, Christine I’m hoping that you & your 120 guests met in the Schwabens’ conference room last July, & were offered bottled water, whilst you all chatted about poverty. Laughing.

Poverty can’t be as a result of lacking in an education: I attended the University of Guelph, & yet I’m poor anyway.
It can’t be as a result of a violent upbringing: I grew up within a highly respected family, with educated parents, but I’m poor regardless.
Poverty isn’t as a result of minimum wage incomes:
I earn $17.60 an hour x 30 hrs a week. $17.60 an hour with 14 years of company service sounds secure, but after all the deductions, it provides a take home pay of $1,500 a month.
I’ve always lived alone, so poverty can’t be a result of having children.
My own poverty is caused by my high monthly rental expense of $650. The standard mathematical equation suggests that everyone should pay a maximum of 30% of their take home pay on housing. According to that calculation, I should be able to find myself a lovely place to rent for $450 a month, inclusive. That’s not realistic.

Would the City budget be able to afford to pay my Landlord the difference between the 30% that I can afford & the market rent that the Landlord demands [a difference of $200 per month]? I know that I can’t wait for even 1 year for a “geared to income” unit to become available.
I know that many poor people are having the same struggle with their rental expenses.
Poverty creates stress, which contributes to domestic violence, anxiety, sick leave, worry, migraines, depression & sleepless nights.
Perhaps my suggestion of the gov’t paying the difference to peoples’ present Landlords could work along with the present geared to income housing system.
Thanks,
Christine

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