Please Help Convert 1130 Water Street into Affordable Housing

by Sarah Lamble, PCAP Organizer

Dear Supporter of Affordable Housing

The Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty (PCAP) is writing to ask for your support in encouraging the City of Peterborough to repair the empty building at 1130 Water Street so that it can be used for affordable housing.

As you may be aware, this summer PCAP took over the building at 1130 Water Street in an effort to convince the city that the property should be used for affordable housing. The building had been used for affordable housing in the past, but was closed due to mould contamination in the basement.

The City recently released a report outlining that the mould in the house is not toxic and can be removed at a cost of $3000-$4000. The City is currently looking into costs for full repairs to the house and will likely release these results at the Council Meeting on Monday, September 15, 2003.

City housing chairman Henry Clarke has stated that the house at 1130 Water Street could be demolished in 5 years to create green space along the river. Realistically, however, as other city officials have suggested, it could be decades before this happens. Regardless of the building's long-term future, even 5 years of affordable housing is a worthwhile investment for those individuals currently on the affordable housing waiting list.

PCAP will be attending City Council this month to encourage the city to complete the repairs so 1130 Water Street can be returned to the affordable housing pool. PCAP feels that the estimated $3000 - $4000 to remove the mould is a very small price to pay for another unit of affordable housing in Peterborough.

Given that the city commissioned $5000 for the mould report, but only used $500, the remaining $4500 could be used towards repairs.

WE NEED YOUR HELP. If enough members of the community demonstrate their support, we could convince the city to create one more building of affordable housing.

We are asking that you, as an individual or a group, endorse the attached statement or write your own statement supporting the conversion of 1130 Water Street into affordable housing.

STATEMENT SUPPORTING 1130 WATER STREET FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

WHEREAS, the lack of affordable housing in Peterborough has reached a crisis state and current strategies to address the problem are inadequate;

WHEREAS, every single building that can be converted to affordable housing is one step closer to eliminating homelessness in Peterborough;

WHEREAS, it is practically and financially feasible to repair the building at 1130 Water Street for use as affordable housing;

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, urge the City of Peterborough to make the repairs necessary to restore 1130 Water Street for use as affordable housing.

NAME: ________________________________________________________________________

Signed: ___________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Please send all endorsements to PCAP, either by e-mail: pcap@riseup.net or to the PCAP office at 393 Water Street, Unit 17 Peterborough, K9H 3L7.

Thank you for your efforts toward the creation of more affordable housing in Peterborough. If you have any questions or concerns about this issue, please call the PCAP office.

On behalf of PCAP,

-Sarah Lamble, PCAP organizer

PCAP Media Release: Third Stop on Affordable Housing Tour

Media Release
Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty
August 7, 2003
For Immediate Release

Third Stop on Affordable Housing Tour

(Peterborough) - On Saturday, August 9, 2003 the Peterborough Coalition
against Poverty (PCAP) will be holding the third action in its housing
campaign. At 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, PCAP will be attending the auction at
the old Fairhaven site, at 131 Langton St., to tour another property that
could be used for affordable housing. PCAP opposes the fact that
buildings needlessly sit empty and unused while the shelters are
overflowing, eviction rates are skyrocketing, and thousands wait 5 years
or more for affordable housing.

PCAP will draw attention to the fact that the city is not only demolishing
a building that could be used for affordable housing - but stands to lose
$100,000 in the demolishing deal. PCAP thinks that $100,000 could be put
to better use (i.e. repairing 1130 Water St.)! Instead of being destroyed
and then built up again as a condo development, PCAP thinks the old
Fairhaven building could be put to use as a much-needed new family
shelter.

PCAP will also be making a public request that the City release the mold
assesment of 1130 Water Street. PCAP was assured that the results would
be made public early last week, but the city has yet to disclose the
information. Several phone calls to the City have also gone unreturned. In
addition to specifying the severity of the mold problem at 1130 Water St.,
the report will also indicate the cost of repairing the house. If the
repairs are feasible, PCAP expects the City to make the house liveable
again and return it to the affordable housing market.

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The Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty (PCAP) is a group dedicated to
political struggle against an economic system that maintains and profits
from the inequality, indignity and needless suffering of poverty. PCAP
organizes actions to support and protect low income persons or groups who
are being oppressed.

Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty (PCAP)
#17 - 393 Water Street
Peterborough, Ontario
K9H 3L7

(705)749-9694

pcap@riseup.net