today City workers showed up at an encampment to move people to the Better Living Centre: the giant space on the Ex grounds. this space is one of the City’s winter plan for those who are homeless: 100 beds here & some extra spots for Extreme Cold Alerts.

"BETTER LIVING" [1/6]

as of yesterday, a colleague had seen the space & it was not set up. today they were moving people in.

people were expected to pack everything today, without choice of warning.
there is a two-bag limit. [2/6]

upon arrival, residents were mandated to take showers; there was no hot water. showers are in an outdoor RV set-up: 2 mens, 2 women’s. lights are turned on at 7am; out at 11pm. [3/6]

beds are separated by glass partitions. individuals are not allowed to hang anything up for some personal privacy.
there is a generic cafeteria spot in the middle of the space.
cameras are everywhere.
there is no privacy. [4/6]

this is the City’s idea of a plan for safety/stability for people over the winter months; it sounds like a dystopian prison. many of the people in encampments have been holding out for offers to safe housing; not not to be warehoused with 99 other strangers in a giant gym [5/6]

the people at the encampment today could have refused to go, but were told that eviction notices would be served eventually. no clear timeline provided, but the last time this happened in an encampment near me, police showed up the next day as part of the eviction package. [6/6]

but also if shower-RVs could happen here, why couldn't we get them to encampments? [7/6 - haha bonus] #TOpoli #affordablehousingnow