PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS SUPPORTING APC CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS SUPPORTING APC/DERA CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES

Once again, public taxpayers dollars are being mis-used to support APC/DERA criminal activities.

Aaron Muirhead, the building manager at Pendera and one of the APC leaders was thrown in jail over the weekend for once again being involved in trespassing on private property.

Mr Muirhead is not at work today as a result of continuing to be in jail. This isn't the first time, Mr Muirhead has been absent from his public tax-payer funded employment at DERA.

On a number of occasions, Mr Muirhead has missed work resulting from criminal activities and his preference for illegal squats takes precedence over looking out for the safety and security of tenants at the Pendera.

Ms Jody Puff who works at BC Housing and handles the DERA/APC file appears unable to properly manage this portfolio. Although one shouldn't place all the blame at the feet of Ms Puff since she was handed a very difficult file and no doubt the Chief Executive Officer at BC Housing, Mr. Shayne Ramsey, is consulted on this file, so he too must shoulder equal if not more responsibility.

Just over a year ago, a number of tenants provided to the Minister of BC Housing, Minister Rich Coleman, a number of serious allegations regarding mis-management of the Pendera building.

These complaints resulted in an operational review/audit of DERA. BC Housing has three operating agreements in place with DERA/APC.

As yet, the findings of this review have not been made public and attempts to secure the release of these public documents are being met with resistance.

The taxpayers must be concerned when millions of their tax dollars earmarked for public housing are being, mis-used and squandered for inappropriate actions.
Minister Coleman must also accept some responsibility, regarding the DERA/APC mess, after all, he is the custodian of public money and public trust. There must be accountability built into the providing of public tax dollars to non governmental organizations.

As an aside, one of the tenants, a Senior female residing at the Pendera who has been cooking meals on her own time and expense for many of the poorer tenants at the Pendera, has been punished by Mr Muirhead.

Apparently, this tenant consulted the Health department, regarding an infestation of bed bugs in her unit and the lack of response by Pendera and DERA to this problem has made her angry and quite sick. As a result of the Health department investigation, according to this tenant, Mr Muirhead, scolded her for going over his head and allegedly informed her that she can no longer provide meals in the tenant common kitchen and lounge to our poorer and hungry tenants.

And APC/DERA professes to be working to end poverty yet abuses poor tenants by denying them food because one frail elderly lady complained of bed bugs to the health department.

Mr. Coleman, don't you think it's long overdue that something be done regarding these and other abuses by one of your contracted housing providers? Hasn't this gone on long enough?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com