Thanks so much for the coverage last week on the cold weather, shelters, and the need for affordable housing CFJC-TV news!
http://cfjctv.com/story.php?id=16988
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
My Place opens! Filling the Gaps in Community Services
Check out the great coverage from the North Shore Echo on Nov 6th!
http://issuu.com/northshoreecho/docs/dte_november_6?e=3401756/5524678
http://issuu.com/northshoreecho/docs/dte_november_6?e=3401756/5524678
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Kamloops This Week Article:
As she wrapped up, said HAP co-ordinator Tangie Genshorek, McLeod told the group that, with a new MP in the role of minister of state for social development, “she should bring her here to find out what we’re doing.”
A bit more than month later, on Monday, Aug. 26, Candice Bergen and McLeod met again with the leadership group, augmented by members of the city’s working group on homelessness, to talk about the issue and what is being done in Kamloops to alleviate it.
“She wanted to hear the nitty-gritty,” Genshorek said, “She wanted details, not just policy ideas.”
Bergen was particularly interested in the city’s rent bank, which was started in February and provides small low-interest loans to people in crisis who need the assistance to stay in their housing or pay utilities in arrears.
“She wanted to hear the specifics of the kinds of problems we face,” Genshorek said.
Ottawa hears the ‘nitty gritty’ on Kamloops homeless Dale Bass, August 28th 2013, Kamloops This Week
On July 23, members of the Homelessness Action Plan (HAP) leadership council were listening to Kamloops MP Cathy McLeod talk about the federal government’s involvement in addressing the social issue.As she wrapped up, said HAP co-ordinator Tangie Genshorek, McLeod told the group that, with a new MP in the role of minister of state for social development, “she should bring her here to find out what we’re doing.”
A bit more than month later, on Monday, Aug. 26, Candice Bergen and McLeod met again with the leadership group, augmented by members of the city’s working group on homelessness, to talk about the issue and what is being done in Kamloops to alleviate it.
“She wanted to hear the nitty-gritty,” Genshorek said, “She wanted details, not just policy ideas.”
Bergen was particularly interested in the city’s rent bank, which was started in February and provides small low-interest loans to people in crisis who need the assistance to stay in their housing or pay utilities in arrears.
“She wanted to hear the specifics of the kinds of problems we face,” Genshorek said.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Many messages in housing-needs report
By Dale Bass - Kamloops This WeekPublished: May 09, 2013 12:00 PM
Updated: May 09, 2013 12:30 PM
A new report on housing needs in Kamloops comes with many messages.
However, if there's one message its co-ordinator wants people to pay attention to, it's the need for rental housing.
Tanie Genshorek, co-ordinator of the Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan (HAP), wants people to realize the marginalized don't need more shelters — they need a hand up to get started in reclaiming their lives.
Finding real housing is one major step, she said, and adding 1,632 private-market rental units would go a long way in doing this.
The report also notes the city needs another 99 units of temporary supported housing — 120 of permanent subsidized housing and 371 or entry-level ownership (houses that can be purchased for $240,000 or less).
The anticipated additional need in each category in 2025, with the current supply in brackets, includes: 120 (187) temporary supported, 144 (448) permanent subsidized and 1,935 ( 7,421) private-market rental.
"We need to move away from thinking of housing for a particular people," Genshorek said, "and think about the continuum we can provide to help people."
The continuum acknowledges various types of homelessness from the constant to the episodic to the at-risk.
Entry-level home ownership was addressed briefly in the study to acknowledge the reality having access to entry-level housing for the working poor who can save a down payment might be all those people need to break the cycle they are at risk of sinking into for longer periods of time.
The report links the various forms of housing to revenue, noting temporary supported and permanent subsidized would be from free to $375 a month, private-market rental would range from $400 to $600 and entry-level ownership would require an after-taxes income of $29,000 as a benchmark and a monthly total mortgage payment of $725.
The report comes with several recommendations Genshorek said she has been assured will go to city council and senior administrators at a workshop. The next one is scheduled for June.
Genshorek said her personal goal is to see the city's official and social plans developed to further recognize the need for policies that help the marginalized and homeless.
"We need to think of the big picture," she said. "We are moving away from shelters. People need housing."
A study on supportive and life skills was also released with the housing report. Genshorek said the information contained in it will be interesting to the public but have greater relevance for the agencies providing the services.
Friday, March 22, 2013
FEDS AIM TO PRIME ECONOMIC PUMP
22 March 2013, Kamloops Daily News
By MIKE YOUDS Daily News Staff Reporter
With its Canada Job Grant, new Building Canada plan and incentives for manufacturers to reinvest, the federal Conservative government hopes to prime the pump for full-scale economic recovery.
In his budget speech on Thursday, Canada’s Finance Minister Jim Flaherty reiterated his recovery refrain — “the global economy is still fragile” — while reaching into a toolbox of measures to invigorate business and investment. A cornerstone is the Building Canada Fund — $14 billion over 10 years for infrastructure renewal. There are also incentives for taxpayers, some tax hikes and specific measures to close tax loopholes.
At the same time, Flaherty remains committed to balancing the books by 2015, a key Tory goal in time for the next federal election, noted MP Cathy McLeod.
She said a range of budget measures show Ottawa is heeding feedback obtained through its finance committee and economic roundtables.
McLeod pointed to a pledge to index the annual gas tax at two per cent a year, giving local governments a firmer commitment over the long term for infrastructure expansion and renewal.
“The bigger overriding concern is what will that commitment look like, moving forward,” said Mayor Peter Milobar. “All in all, it’s something we can hopefully work with.”
The jobs strategy offers onethird funding for training grants to employers with equal shares from the provinces and employers.
“That’s a new way to encourage Canadians to train for jobs that are going to be available,” McLeod said.
For the country’s still-struggling manufacturing sector, Flaherty announced an accelerated capital cost allowance. Essentially, that’s a $1.4-billion tax relief measure to invigorate the sector.
“It certainly catches our attention because we’re in the middle of proposing a major expansion at Moly-Cop,” said Maurice Hindle, sales manager with the company in Kamloops.
That would improve competitiveness and enhance the expansion proposal for board approval, he said. The expansion would add 35 jobs to the Kamloops workforce.
While renewing its long-term commitment to affordable housing and countering homelessness, spending was slightly reduced.
“It’s better than the worst-case scenario,” said Tangie Genshorek, co-ordinator of the Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan. Many advocates feared that the federal government might abandon its support entirely.
Flaherty proposed spending $253 million over five years with matching contributions from the provinces. The money will go to new construction, renovation, home-ownership assistance, rent supplements, shelters and homes for abused spouses.
“They could have gone a lot farther,” she said. “We would have seen some real change in homelessness in 10 years, but they’re doing something.”
The budget proposes to eliminate import tariffs on sports gear and baby clothes, which would benefit consumers, said Starr Carson, a partner with KPMG in Kamloops. If the cost of importing goods goes down, so should retail prices.
There are a lot more measures aimed at closing tax loopholes than he had expected.
“They’ve very aggressively tried to shoot down all the tax loopholes that they’ve tried to identify as abusive,” Carson said.
He pinpointed several measures of broad interest:
Dividend tax increase: Of interest to company owners who take dividends, the effective tax rate would climb to 21.22 per cent from 19.58 per cent for non-eligible dividends paid after 2013.
Lifetime capital gains exemption: Increased to $800,000 from $750,000 on dispositions of qualified properties as of 2014.
Graduated tax rates on trusts: The government will consult on possible measures to eliminate tax benefits arising from taxing at graduated rates. That would affect a common tax-planning measure.
Charitable donation tax shelters: The government wants to discourage taxpayers from these. Canada Revenue Agency will be permitted to collect half of the disputed tax when a taxpayer disputes its assessment, pending a determination of liability.
Life insurance: The government is closing loopholes around leveraged insured annuities.
Business tax rate: As well as the manufacturing incentive, the government will extend the hiring credit for small business.
Carson also noted the introduction of a temporary, first-time charitable donor’s tax credit to encourage young people to give.
A first-time donor will be entitled to a 40 per cent credit for donations of $200 or less and 54 per cent for donations greater than $200 to a maximum of $1,000.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Gilchrist: Rent bank benefits outweigh any costs
At my first newspaper job, I grossed $1,600 a month.
By the time I moved to the next one, I hadn’t paid down much of my student loan and began living on my credit card, paying the minimum balance every month.
I hit financial bottom when I realized I was visiting the bank machine weekly to see what American Express might spit out. That $50, even $25, made a difference to my quality of life.
To afford the damage deposit on an apartment for my next job, I had to ask family for a loan. Thankfully, that job allowed me to eventually pay off my debts and I pruned back my credit card use.
If I didn’t have family to help, I would have continued living on the edge and have no idea how I’d have managed if an emergency came up — a long-distance funeral, car repair, sick child to care for . . .
So I understand how one unexpected event could send an individual or family who are barely making ends meet into financial ruin. Without family or friends to rely on, where would a person turn?
It might be possible to get a payroll advance, turn down the heat to save on power costs, cut corners on the grocery bill, but with no cushion, the chasm grows. Even the most understanding landlord will not tolerate rent repeatedly being late and eviction becomes a very real possibility.
According to a Canadian Payroll Association survey, 57 per cent of Canadian workers would run into financial trouble if their pay was delayed by even a week.
This is why the new Kamloops Rent Bank will make such a difference. It offers one-time loans to people who don’t qualify for welfare, unemployment insurance, old age pension or other assistance, helping them through a difficult time with dignity, because it’s not a handout.
Homelessness Action Plan co-ordinator Tangie Genshorek says the working poor “are going over the edge into really extreme poverty and ending up on the streets.”
In last fall’s homeless count, 73 per cent of those living on the streets reported the reason for being homeless is that housing is either unaffordable or unavailable. According to the HAP 2012 Community Report, it costs $55,000 a year to leave a homeless person on the street (think trips to the hospital, providing emergency shelter and emergency services like the police in dealing with problems) and $37,000 a year to provide housing with support services.
So keeping people from heading over a personal fiscal cliff costs society far less than the alternatives.
Rent bank loans are restricted to rent and utilities like gas, hydro and land lines (no cellphones) and organizers expect loans to max out around $1,500 to $1,600.
Applicants must provide bank records and be clean of addictions for two years. They’ll be vetted by a social worker with training in finance, who will also offer budgeting ideas.
If this simple strategy of small, low-interest loans can keep working people from falling deeper into poverty, it will be valuable to our community’s well-being and loan recipients knowing they can continue to look after themselves and their families with pride.
tgilchrist@kamloopsnews.ca
By the time I moved to the next one, I hadn’t paid down much of my student loan and began living on my credit card, paying the minimum balance every month.
I hit financial bottom when I realized I was visiting the bank machine weekly to see what American Express might spit out. That $50, even $25, made a difference to my quality of life.
To afford the damage deposit on an apartment for my next job, I had to ask family for a loan. Thankfully, that job allowed me to eventually pay off my debts and I pruned back my credit card use.
If I didn’t have family to help, I would have continued living on the edge and have no idea how I’d have managed if an emergency came up — a long-distance funeral, car repair, sick child to care for . . .
So I understand how one unexpected event could send an individual or family who are barely making ends meet into financial ruin. Without family or friends to rely on, where would a person turn?
It might be possible to get a payroll advance, turn down the heat to save on power costs, cut corners on the grocery bill, but with no cushion, the chasm grows. Even the most understanding landlord will not tolerate rent repeatedly being late and eviction becomes a very real possibility.
According to a Canadian Payroll Association survey, 57 per cent of Canadian workers would run into financial trouble if their pay was delayed by even a week.
This is why the new Kamloops Rent Bank will make such a difference. It offers one-time loans to people who don’t qualify for welfare, unemployment insurance, old age pension or other assistance, helping them through a difficult time with dignity, because it’s not a handout.
Homelessness Action Plan co-ordinator Tangie Genshorek says the working poor “are going over the edge into really extreme poverty and ending up on the streets.”
In last fall’s homeless count, 73 per cent of those living on the streets reported the reason for being homeless is that housing is either unaffordable or unavailable. According to the HAP 2012 Community Report, it costs $55,000 a year to leave a homeless person on the street (think trips to the hospital, providing emergency shelter and emergency services like the police in dealing with problems) and $37,000 a year to provide housing with support services.
So keeping people from heading over a personal fiscal cliff costs society far less than the alternatives.
Rent bank loans are restricted to rent and utilities like gas, hydro and land lines (no cellphones) and organizers expect loans to max out around $1,500 to $1,600.
Applicants must provide bank records and be clean of addictions for two years. They’ll be vetted by a social worker with training in finance, who will also offer budgeting ideas.
If this simple strategy of small, low-interest loans can keep working people from falling deeper into poverty, it will be valuable to our community’s well-being and loan recipients knowing they can continue to look after themselves and their families with pride.
tgilchrist@kamloopsnews.ca
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Rent bank opens doors in February - Diversion from payday loans
January 14, 2013
By MIKE YOUDS
Kamloops Daily News Staff Reporter
Kamloops will soon have another tool for chipping away at homelessness and at the client list for payday loans. A rent bank - a community lender of last resort for working poor who find themselves in financial crisis - is about to start.
The Kamloops Rent Bank will be available to assist individuals and families starting in February, said Tangie Genshorek, co-ordinator of the Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan.According to research, six out of 10 Canadians would be in financial trouble if they missed one paycheque, an indication of how great the need may be for emergency rent.
"It's key," Genshorek said.
By providing small, low-interest loans, rent banks assist people when they find themselves in crisis. The service will be provided only for people who are not receiving income assistance. They may have had a death in the family or a medical emergency, said Louise Richards, executive director of Kamloops and District Elizabeth Fry Society.
"Who knows? A lot of the time, people do want a loan," she said. "They don't want money handed to them."
Typically, there is a two-year payoff period for each loan.
The bank will be located at the society's offices at 827 Seymour St., where Janet Bakke will be in charge of assessing qualifications and need. Part of the loan process will involved financial education to ensure recipients don't get caught in the same bind again.
The Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan committee has been focused on a rent bank startup here for the past year, a need identified by the Changing Face of Poverty committee.
The idea is to keep people from falling into the payday-loan trap by offering a lower-interest alternative, something in the order of prime plus two per cent. Payday loans in B.C. can fetch as high as 23 per cent interest, which is not as costly as they were before B.C. brought in strict rules in 2009.
Toronto was among the first Canadian cities to start a rent bank, in the aftermath of the 2003 SARS outbreak when low-income hospitality workers were left high and dry by a drop in tourism, Genshorek said. Since then, the Ontario provincial government has taken up the initiative. Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Prince George have recently followed suit.
"We're trying to prove its validity here," she said. "There's a real cap in programs available currently, everywhere but Ontario."
Roughly $39,000 has been donated by Interior Savings Community Investment Fund, the Kelson Group, United Way and The Stollery Charitable Foundation. The Kamloops rent bank working group is seeking additional funding.
Donations are accepted through United Way and the Elizabeth Fry Society.
By MIKE YOUDS
Kamloops Daily News Staff Reporter
Kamloops will soon have another tool for chipping away at homelessness and at the client list for payday loans. A rent bank - a community lender of last resort for working poor who find themselves in financial crisis - is about to start.
The Kamloops Rent Bank will be available to assist individuals and families starting in February, said Tangie Genshorek, co-ordinator of the Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan.According to research, six out of 10 Canadians would be in financial trouble if they missed one paycheque, an indication of how great the need may be for emergency rent.
"It's key," Genshorek said.
By providing small, low-interest loans, rent banks assist people when they find themselves in crisis. The service will be provided only for people who are not receiving income assistance. They may have had a death in the family or a medical emergency, said Louise Richards, executive director of Kamloops and District Elizabeth Fry Society.
"Who knows? A lot of the time, people do want a loan," she said. "They don't want money handed to them."
Typically, there is a two-year payoff period for each loan.
The bank will be located at the society's offices at 827 Seymour St., where Janet Bakke will be in charge of assessing qualifications and need. Part of the loan process will involved financial education to ensure recipients don't get caught in the same bind again.
The Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan committee has been focused on a rent bank startup here for the past year, a need identified by the Changing Face of Poverty committee.
The idea is to keep people from falling into the payday-loan trap by offering a lower-interest alternative, something in the order of prime plus two per cent. Payday loans in B.C. can fetch as high as 23 per cent interest, which is not as costly as they were before B.C. brought in strict rules in 2009.
Toronto was among the first Canadian cities to start a rent bank, in the aftermath of the 2003 SARS outbreak when low-income hospitality workers were left high and dry by a drop in tourism, Genshorek said. Since then, the Ontario provincial government has taken up the initiative. Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Prince George have recently followed suit.
"We're trying to prove its validity here," she said. "There's a real cap in programs available currently, everywhere but Ontario."
Roughly $39,000 has been donated by Interior Savings Community Investment Fund, the Kelson Group, United Way and The Stollery Charitable Foundation. The Kamloops rent bank working group is seeking additional funding.
Donations are accepted through United Way and the Elizabeth Fry Society.
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