We received notification today that our housing charge will be doubled commencing October 31st, 2009. The letter stated that the reason for this is because our co-op is running a deficit and that our subsidy funds had run out. However, the letter then contradicts itself and says the reason is because of new government rules, as follows:
In regards to the recently set government guidelines dealing with the new allowable amount for shelter, the Board is now required to implement these amounts when calculating the minimum housing charge. The minimum housing charge allowance is the shelter component that would be given to a household if they were on the Ontario Works program.
What kind of mumble-jumble is this? What government guidelines? The letter then graciously instructs ODSP recipients not to forget to give copies of our utility bills to ODSP in order to ensure that we receive the maximum shelter component.
A Bulletin from CHF dated October, 2008 detailed a ruling from The Human Rights Tribunal in which a complainant stated that her co-op was only allowing her a partial credit for her utilities. The HRC ruling stated that the co-op must allow the member full credit for her utility costs within the Shelter Allowance allotted to her by ODSP.
So let's do the math in our current situation. Our Maximum ODSP Shelter Allowance is $714.00. The co-op is raising our housing charge to $645.00 (based on what, I do not know). Our utility bills add up to approx. $250.00 per month, which will bring our total housing costs to $895.00. So that will mean that we'll have to take $181.00 out of our food money to pay for our housing costs. In addition to that, the co-op is not allowing a $16.00 credit for household insurance.
The co-op is in direct violation of the Human Rights Tribunal decision, Iness v. Caroline Co-operative Homes Inc. (No.5), 2006 HRTO 19 (Can LII) (Iness) and their own bulletin in the matter.
If there was ever a case of the co-op 'robbing Peter to pay Paul', this is it! And it's on the backs of the most vulnerable.
A Bulletin from CHF dated October, 2008 detailed a ruling from The Human Rights Tribunal in which a complainant stated that her co-op was only allowing her a partial credit for her utilities. The HRC ruling stated that the co-op must allow the member full credit for her utility costs within the Shelter Allowance allotted to her by ODSP.
So let's do the math in our current situation. Our Maximum ODSP Shelter Allowance is $714.00. The co-op is raising our housing charge to $645.00 (based on what, I do not know). Our utility bills add up to approx. $250.00 per month, which will bring our total housing costs to $895.00. So that will mean that we'll have to take $181.00 out of our food money to pay for our housing costs. In addition to that, the co-op is not allowing a $16.00 credit for household insurance.
The co-op is in direct violation of the Human Rights Tribunal decision, Iness v. Caroline Co-operative Homes Inc. (No.5), 2006 HRTO 19 (Can LII) (Iness) and their own bulletin in the matter.
If there was ever a case of the co-op 'robbing Peter to pay Paul', this is it! And it's on the backs of the most vulnerable.
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