Landlords show no mercy to single mothers on the breadline

3252215

BOBIE-LEE DIXON

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NGOs are rescuing single mothers from sleeping on the streets and in cars with their children.

It’s the reality of these women in T&T who have found themselves on the hard side of life during the pandemic, says founder of Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC) Avonelle Hector-Joseph.

We rescued moms from the promenade with their children. we rescued just before Christmas a mother sleeping in a car with her children, it wasn’t even her car,’ she said.

Hector-Joseph said these were some of the organisation’s latest missions as calls for help were coming fast and furious from single mothers who lost their livelihoods due to the pandemic and were shown no mercy by landlords, tossing them out on the streets.

Her statement affirmed the Ministry of Social Development’s claim that it too, was inundated by eviction complaints, with a significantly high incidence among single mothers.

Last Thursday, an official from the Ministry relayed the situation to Guardian Media when that official was contacted to assist Guardian Media in finding help for a young single mother of two who was about to be evicted.

This information was subsequently confirmed by Social Development Minister Donna Cox, who in a response on the matter, told Guardian Media, through the ministry’s critical incidence mechanism, “reports are being received from members of the public, as well as media personnel on various social issues that require emergency intervention. These include reports of single mothers and their children being forced to turn to the streets following eviction and or domestic violence.”

Highlighting how dire the situation is, Hector-Joseph said both of the NGO’s properties were filled, so much so it was now seeking funding to obtain container houses to be able to accommodate single mothers, families, and others in need of shelter.

Relaying a more recent case, she said, “An expectant mom of quadruplets, she was supposed to be evicted on Saturday. We were putting up a place for her but then eventually she got something. It’s crazy…it’s crazy.”

She added, “Is the Ministry of Social Development calling you, is domestic violence calling you, and then a lot of these centres are not taking people because of COVID.”

She said, however, the decision-makers in T&T must be consistent even in these unprecedented times. “If you are charged with the responsibility to help people then you have to look and see how you can do that within the parameters that exist,” she noted.

Hector-Joseph said there were too many abandoned properties in T&T for this problem to exist.

It was also confirmed to Guardian Media by NGOs and shelters contacted that not only were they receiving calls from single mothers, but also women escaping domestic violence situations, they say had increased with the pandemic.

The situation is overwhelming and NGO’s hands are mostly tied, expressed founder of the Rental Association of T&T (RATT), Dinah White. She said things were more critical than the country knows.

She said, “The messages you get from these people are just heartbreaking and just to know there is nothing you can do to help them.”

White, who is the former welfare officer of the Single Mothers Association of T&T (SMATT), said while single mothers needing help was nothing new; the pandemic had exacerbated the circumstances of many.

“I by myself cannot do anything. I have been advising persons since last year when it (pandemic) now started and even then people were getting evicted,” said White.

She noted that while at that time, she was able to get landlords to reduce the rent of tenants by half of the monthly base, this time around was not the same.

White, a single mother who was once homeless with her children, said it is an unfair situation for both landlords and tenants. Like Hector-Joseph, she lamented; more worrying was the unavailability at shelters that were either already overcrowded with various categories of people including migrants, or the fact that intake was reduced in light of COVID-19 protocols.

Another issue she said is that shelters were not accommodating children, which has left many single mothers in need of shelter in a predicament.

“Honestly, there is nowhere to put them right now, because even I had a mother and three children staying with me, I almost got evicted for that. So I started calling around to shelters and the shelters are full,” said White.

She said one shelter, in particular, encountered a COVID-19 case and had to send people out of the accommodation, while various shelters too, also informed her, they were now being forced to prioritise domestic violence cases as there were many.

White believes the Ministry of Social Development was not doing enough.

“Not enough is being done, I’m telling you, not from my perspective alone but many.”

She said the inefficiency of the ministry in dealing with emergency matters has always been a problem.

Illustrating the situation when she was homeless three years ago, she said at that time she applied for emergency housing through the Ministry, and it was only at the start of 2021, she received a call informing her, an apartment was located. White claimed during the long wait when she remained homeless, she was even raped.

But also in her response, Cox said currently, there were no pandemic-related orders to protect tenants from being evicted. In light of this, she said her Ministry was making a humanitarian call to all landlords to hold their hands in evicting tenants who have not been able to pay their rent.

“We want to ask landlords to have some compassion for their tenants, during these unprecedented and challenging times. We must understand and appreciate that some persons have been placed in untenable situations given COVID-19 restrictions. We must be mindful of the need to come together and support each other, as we share the economic burdens at this time, “Cox said.

She said the ministry remained resolute in partnering with all of its key stakeholders, including NGOs, faith-based organisations as well as civil society organisations to provide support to the vulnerable during COVID-19.

Cox also disclosed among the existing grants provided by the Ministry, there was the Rental Assistant Grant where people can access rent for up to three months in the first instance for $2,500.

However, in an interview with the Ministry’s Director for Social Welfare Troy Pollanais, he said people seeking the grant must meet certain criteria that were determined by a Means Test.

“It is important to understand that in terms of the criteria for let’s say persons who have been evicted, our system only allows us the opportunity to assist, one, there is a standard Means Test, you’re required to pass and as well, when you’re talking about rental assistance, you must have a landlord who is willing to engage the Government or the Ministry to facilitate the terms of that grant,” Pollanais explained.

He noted, however, many landlords were not willing to enter into such an arrangement, leaving the Ministry’s hands tied even if the applicant passes the Means Test.

But White disputed Pollanais’ explanation saying the process was flawed.

“There is nothing in place. I have been reaching out to social welfare as well recently. People are saying social welfare is promising them assistance with the rent and the landlords are fed up waiting and this is why they are being evicted.”

Sleeping board and Act

Last year, the Government pleaded with landlords to extend grace to tenants who had become unemployed due to the pandemic and could not pay their rent. But Guardian Media learned however, landlords were now also amending rental agreements to include inhumane clauses in the event a tenant is unable to pay during this time.

The Rent Assessment Board of T&T was contacted to find out what regulations were provided to deal with such matters, but to date, the phone rings continuously.

Several calls and a WhatsApp message were made and sent to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi for comment on the absence of regulations in this sector and to find out if any move would be made to regulate the industry, particularly in the pandemic, but all calls and the WhatsApp message went unanswered.

People facing eviction may contact the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services’ call centre at 800 – 1MSD (1673); The National Family Services Division for free counselling and psychosocial support at 623 – 2608; Ext 6701 – 6707. And the Domestic Violence hotline at 800-SAVE.

Rent Restriction (Dwelling-Houses) Act

On the T&T law books, a Rent Restriction (Dwelling-Houses) Act was incorporated in 1981, amended in 1991, and an unofficial version updated to December 31, 2015.

The Rent Restriction (Dwelling-Houses) Act is an act to restrict the rents of certain dwelling houses.

At the time it was established, Section 3 of the Act stated: “This Act applies to all dwelling-houses which were let for a rent whether payable monthly or not, not exceeding one thousand dollars per month in the case of an unfurnished letting or one thousand, five-hundred dollars per month in the case of a furnished letting as at 31st December 1978 or, where on that date the house was not the subject of a letting, at the commencement of the first letting after that date.”

Section 7A (1) states: “Notwithstanding section 7, a landlord or a tenant who is registered in accordance with this Act may apply to the Board for a review of the rent of premises to which the application refers on the grounds that such rent is unreasonably low or unreasonably high as the case may be.”

Section 7A (2) states: “On the hearing of any application under this section, the Board may vary such rent as it thinks equitable having regard to the type, standard and location of the premises to which this Act applies, the prevailing social and economic conditions and any other relevant circumstances.”