Today, Jeff Davis, Regional and City Councillor candidate, Ward 4, sent an email to Lisa McIntosh of Durham Region Social Services, and copied several key people including Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou, Alan Robins and Mayor Dan Carter.
Here is what the letter wrote...
"Ms. McIntosh, et al,
I am writing to you on behalf of a group of concerned citizens living in the area of the Region’s Temporary Housing Units located at Olive Ave and Drew St., Oshawa.
FULL DISCLOSURE:
I am a candidate for Regional and City Councillor, Ward 4, Oshawa. I have been an advocate for Accountability and Transparency at the City of Oshawa for nearly a decade. I have worked with numerous community groups, including Durham Dignity for the Homeless, CAMP, DUO and private businesses on regulatory issues with the City of Oshawa.
Having met a number of residents in the neighbourhood of the Temporary Housing Micro-home Units on Olive Street, I have offered to help facilitate a meeting between the community and Durham Region Social Services to discuss community concerns related to the residents housed in and issues caused by this pilot program.
I am aware that similar meetings have been held with area businesses located near Back Door Mission or Mission United located at the Simcoe Street United Church.
The residents in the area of your pilot project on Olive Street have some legitimate concerns and are feeling less than serviced by the responses to those concerns. For the most part, these residents appear to be looking for your assistance to make this pilot project a success and wish to have an open dialogue to address some nagging concerns. Continued failure to hear these resident concerns may quickly turn their very proactive and helpful approach into a strong NIMBY group which could be detrimental to the success of your program.
As there is apparently a plan to renovate the old Ritson Public School into a much larger centre for underprivileged and under housed citizens, now would be the perfect time to perfect your pilot program and use that information for a larger scale endeavour that will also affect the same community neighbourhood.
This citizens group has approached the Polish Hall on Olive Street who has agreed to allow a public meeting to be held on a Mon, Tues, or Wed evening.
I am seeking your cooperation to schedule an open public meeting with the appropriate Regional staff and these citizens, at your earliest convenience and prior to the end of September.
Upon your confirmation of a meeting date, with the assistance of the community members, we will provide an agenda of issues that the community wants to discuss.
Your confirmation of receipt of our request and potential meeting dates would be appreciated at your earliest convenience, and prior to September 19, 2022, so that the community can be notified, the hall can be booked, and an agenda can be forwarded.
Sincerely,
Jeff Davis
Candidate for Regional and City Councillor
Ward 4, Oshawa
info@jeff-davis.ca "