No housing assistance for N.W.T. family of 6 living in 1-bedroom suite

A family of six living in a small, one bedroom suite at the Discovery Suites in Yellowknife has been trying to get assistance from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation for three years.  

The family keeps a coffee maker in the bathroom, a stroller in the hallway, and a high chair in the bathtub, because there is so little space in the suite.

Caven Naskathey and his partner have been trying to get adequate housing for themselves and their four children for years, but even though they have been at the top of the waiting list, they haven't been able to get assistance.

"Basically, it's just a pain. It's like a big, giant struggle for no reason," said Naskathey.

Naskathey works as the night clerk for the Discovery Inn and his boss gave him the suite when he started working there three years ago.

The suite costs $1,200 per month.

Naskathey's partner does not work, and instead takes care of the 4 kids who are one, three, six, and seven years old.

With four children, the one-bedroom suite can get cramped. At night, the kids sleep on two mattresses in the bedroom, and Naskathey and his partner sleep on a foam mattress in the living room.

There is no oven in the suite, and the family keeps food in two mini fridges. But they're going to have to get rid of one of the mini fridges, because they don't have the space to keep it.

Naskathey said when the family came to Yellowknife three years ago, they were first on the list for housing. But they keep getting bumped down the list.

Naskathey said this is for two reasons. First, the family is considered a low priority because they have a roof over their heads, even though Naskathey said it's not adequate housing for the number of people living there. Second, Naskathey doesn't have a personal phone, making the family difficult to contact.

"We can't afford a cell phone," said Naskathey, because the majority of the family's money is spent on accommodations. He said they have given the housing corporation his partner's email address and Naskathey's work number, but they haven't received any messages from the housing corporation.

Cassandra Angottitauruq, Naskathey's partner, said the family has about $1,000 a month to spend on food and other necessities for six people. She said they'll often borrow money from family members and use the food bank to get by.

They have tried to get income assistance. But the family doesn't qualify because they make just a little bit too much money.

"I even got to a point where I wanted to go to Alison McAteer but there's no abuse so they can't take me," said Angottitauruq. "Just to have my children have their own bedrooms."

The Alison McAteer House is a family violence shelter in Yellowknife.

She also tried going to Lynn's Place, which provides affordable, safe housing for women, but the waitlist posed a problem.

Tom Williams, president and CEO of the N.W.T. Housing Corporation said he can't comment on individual cases. But he said right now there are about 250 people on the waitlist, including both families and singles. The housing corporation has 344 units. 

Of those units, 26 have four bedrooms. Angottitauruq said the corporation is trying to get the family into a four bedroom unit, but they would be happy to be put in a two bedroom unit in the meantime. 

Williams said there are ten families on the waiting list for a four bedroom unit to become available in Yellowknife. There are 37 families on the wait list for three bedroom units. 

There are three units ready for occupancy — one two-bedroom unit and two three-bedroom units. There are eight other vacant units, but they are either under repair or need repair, and none of them are four bedroom units. 

Williams said there are many factors that could play into a family being bumped down the list. "People get bumped because maybe someone has a higher priority."

People get higher priority if they, for example, have a disability or are in a family violence situation.

Williams said residents may be discouraged when they see that they have been bumped down the list. But he said people moving on and off the list is a good thing, because "it shows that the system is working."

"I know it can be discouraging at times, but I think [people] have to be patient with the system."

Williams said the corporation is looking for funding from the federal government to develop more housing. 

Naskathey said he feels like he's fighting to get help. "It's like they're trying to start a fight, but I'm not here to start a fight; I'm asking for help," said Naskathey. 

He said the only person helping his family is MLA Julie Green. They approached their MLA a few weeks ago, hoping to get some kind of assistance.

Green brought up Naskathey and his family at the Legislative Assembly on May 24. I have a family of six living in a bachelor apartment," said Green. "What is the Minister [of Housing] going to be able to do to help them now?"

Housing Minister Alfred Moses said there are programs the family could apply for, including the rent supplement program and income support. He also said the family could get help through NGOs.

But Naskathey said his family has tried to use those programs, and they haven't been able to get assistance through any of them.

"We do have high waiting lists for housing, and we need to make sure that priority is given where it's needed, and I want to work with the members to work on adjusting those," Moses said.

Moses also said that across the N.W.T., in communities without housing assistance, there are larger families than this one looking for help. "And that's what we need to work on addressing right across the Northwest Territories."

Moses' comments were made in the Legislative Assembly. His staff declined to make him available for an interview saying the minister could not speak about specific cases.

Naskathey was hoping the minister would be able to help the family get housing faster. Instead, he said he was disappointed by the response.

"It's like he just totally sloughed us off."

Got a story? Reach jamie.malbeuf@cbc.ca.