Thunder Bay Housing residents living in fear
'I've had to basically fight to get in my own building because of the druggies trying to get in.'
Some tenants living in rent-geared-to-income apartments in Thunder Bay say they're living in fear and are asking for more security in their buildings.
At Dan McIvor Court, residents report a range of problems — from people banging on their apartment doors at night to criminal activity like drug dealing.
Dawn-Marie Washington, who has lived at Dan McIvor Court for about four years, said she was assaulted last month by a tenant who she says was not mentally well. She called police and they took her report.
Washington noted police tell the tenants they need to let housing administrators know about any incidents — and she says she has done that repeatedly.
"My heart goes out to people that live here and that are not well," she said.
"[But] we cannot look after people that can't look after themselves."
Washington said she believes community services — not just housing managers — need to pull together and deal with issues like how to house people who need support.
"We're human beings here ... It's too hard," she said.
"It makes it so hard and frustrating and angry when ... you don't feel safe."
Security audit
The acting chief administrative officer for the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board said the agency is advocating for more supportive housing in the community.
Bill Bradica said the agency is also hiring an expert to do a security audit on its buildings "to ... take a look at our buildings to see what the issues are and what we could do to improve security."
Possible solutions could include live camera monitoring, he noted.
The move might help tenants like Abraham Deroche feel better about leaving his apartment at night, or hanging out in the building's common area where he said, "I wouldn't come in here at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. if nobody else is here."
Deroche said he wants to see a security guard in the building.
"He [would have] a clipboard of everybody that lives here," Deroche said.
"[If tenants] bring in guests, they have to sign that list. If they don't, they don't get in. Simple as that."
‘Not my job to fight over a door’
Bradica said putting a security guard in every building would be extremely expensive.
And Washington said she believes the solution is not as simple as having a security guard present. Non-residents trying to get into the building would have no hesitation attacking a security guard, she said.
For now, housing officials urge tenants in all buildings not to let anyone in to the building they don't know.
But McIvor Court tenants said that's easier said than done.
"In the five years I've been here, there's got to be a dozen times I've had to basically fight to get in my own building because of the druggies trying to get in," tenant Lorne Goodheart said.
"It's not my job to fight over a door."
Tenant Zachery Madsen agreed and said non-residents continue to easily slip into the building.
"If you try to confront them … look out," he said.
"You're better off just to keep your mouth shut … I've always said, 'I like my arms where they are.' And I like to be able to use both arms."