CONFIRMED DEATH AT MICRO-HOMES, WE ARE ASKING FOR TERMINATION AND DEMOLITION

****email sent on January 27 2023 to Mayor Dan Carter, regional and city councillors as well as Durham Region Social Services coordinators*****

Good Afternoon All,

As you may know, an occupant of the Oshawa Micro-homes was found dead in his unit this morning after police beat the door down and arrested 3 people inside the unit. This was not an overdose as I understand.

Ken (the deceased) was the most decent and deserving individual for this kind of program but for the fact that adequate protection was not provided to prevent this sort of invasive event that cost him his life. 

Moreover, on November 1st, 2022, when the residents met with the Region to discuss ongoing issues, the noticeable lack of protection for the occupants was introduced as a topic of discussion. Especially as it pertains to the migration of certain unwanted, uninvited or disallowed "guests". Ultimately, the residents requested more effective security measures from the Region to protect both the residents and the occupants.

In showing some leadership to this community, I fought really really hard just to get that one meeting with the Region and even after we requested more protection for ourselves and for the occupants, this has happened in only a few short months. 

Not only was this program mismanaged from the start as was pointed out by the residential community, but two very key people did not show up at the meeting in November 2022. That would be Mayor Dan Carter and Ward 4 city councillor Derek Giberson, who somehow believes our downtown streets suffer from a narrative problem, not probably a drug, theft or violence problem.

Out of respect for the residents of the community and in honour of this life that was valued but violently lost, it would be highly appropriate if this program was finally rescinded once and for all, and the property at Olive/Drew street be demolished and a memorial created for Ken.  

Shameful and absolute reprehensible disregard for public safety this was. 

If you knew Ken you would know that he kept quiet and was friendly. He had enough respect for the neighbours that he actually fit in. He paid tribute with a flag to the Ukraine in his window, and he was the only occupant who had Christmas lights to celebrate the holidays. He was often found picking weeds out of the grass and picking up garbage left behind on the property. He showed some pride and respect which was unlike all of the other fleeting occupants that failed the program aside from the 1 person that apparently transitioned. Was it worth Ken's life for that one person to move forward?

Epic failure. We remember Ken today and although we took the Region to task on the micro-homes, seen as NIMBYism, we never wanted to see something like this happen, especially not to Ken. And especially after it was brought up in our meeting that we were all concerned for the safety of the occupants due to the close proximity of the homes to the dangers of the streets only a few blocks away. This was foreseeable. You can't say you weren't asked to protect the occupants from something like this.

We await the declaration of failure on the micro-homes pilot project before this type of occurrence happens again and again.

Sincerely