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PoliticsHousing6TuesdayMay72013NWTteachersassociationcallsforbetterhousingByRENEFRANCOEURTheNorthwestTerrito-riesTeachersAssociationNWTTAissayingnomoretobrokendownleakingapart-mentsunreliablelandlordsandlivingwithoveradozenotherpeoplejusttomakeendsmeet.TheNWTTAreleasedahousingsummaryreportonApr.29callingforasolutiontothelongstandingissueofhousingshortagesandunac-ceptablelivingconditionsex-periencedbyteachersandotherprofessionalsacrosstheNWT.Thirty-eightpercentofre-spondentstothesurveysaidtheydonothaveadequatehousingandalmost50percentindicatedtheypaybe-tween40and50percentoftheirdisposableincomeonbasicneedsforshelter.Lackofaffordableandac-ceptablehousinghasalsoledtojoboffersbeingdeclinedreported44percentofschoolboardadministrators.ThereportrevealedthatinonecommunityNWTHousingCorp.unitsareavailableandadequatebutarenotconsid-eredaffordableespeciallywhenthecostofutilitiesisaddedinoverthewintermonths.Manyteachersindicatedthathousingcannotberentedaffordablywithouthavingroommates.Ihave13peoplewholivewithmebecausethereisnohelpforpeopletogetahouse.Therearesixemptyhousesandhous-ingwontrentorletpeo-pleliveinthem.Theyhavebeenemptyforanumberofyearsreadonesurveycomment.Anothercommentsaystherstpaychequeofeverymonthgoestorentalone.Oneprincipaldetailedtensofhoursspenttryingtosetuphousingoptionsforin-comingteachers.Itisverydifcult...andimpactsthequalityofre-cruits...Retentionofteachersalsodependsonhowhappycomfortabletheteacherisinaccommodations.Housingincommunitiesvergesonacrisissituation.Justthelossofonehouse...willcauseacrisisforexamplethreeteachersmaysuddenlybewithoutahometheprincipalstated.Maintenanceofrentalprop-ertiesforteacherswasanothergrimtopicbroughtupmultipletimesinthesurvey.CommentslikeNoworkhasbeendoneontheunitIamliv-inginwithinthepast20yearswerenotunusualndings.OnecommentstatedIwaslivinginaffordablehousingbutthesewerlinefrozeandthelandlordcouldnotxit.Ihad24hoursnoticetomove.Accordingtothereporthousingissuesbegantoesca-latein1990swhentheGNWTdecideditwasnolongerre-sponsibleforstaffhousing.TeachersarethelargestgroupofprofessionalsintheNWTandtheyprovideaser-viceonacontinuingbasisineverycommunity-yetthereremainsateacherhousingcri-sisthereportstated.Theintentofthereportistoincreasetheunderstandingandawarenessofthehousingcrisisandbringkeypeopleto-gethertondsolutionsGaylaMeredithNWTTApresidenttoldTheJournal.Weneedtounderstandwhatsgoingonouttherescantherealitiesandputinformationtogetherbeforewecanndsolution.Thatswhatthisreportdoes.Itsacomplexissuethatrunsonmanylevelsandwerealizeitsnotjustateachersissueandthattherearenoquickxesbutwehavetostartsomewhereshecontin-ued.Ourintentisnottopointngersbuttobrainstormandbringpeopletogethertondsolutions.Thereportmakesanum-berofrecommendationsincludingtheestablishmentofaworkinggroupofstake-holdersfromtheGNWTandAboriginalgovernmentstosetalistofconcretehousingpriorities.Initslistof13recommen-dationsthereportadvisesthattheterritorialResidentialTenanciesActberevisedtoprotecttenantsagainstunsafelivingconditionsandunrea-sonablerentincreasesandthatachecklistoutliningthebasicessentialstandardsforallrentalunitsbedeveloped.ItalsocallsforacasestudyontheNWTteacherhousingsuccessstoryinWhatiwherechangesweremadewithinthecommunitytoaddresstheteacherhousingcrisisprevi-ouslyresponsiblefora100percentrateofteacherturnoverinthepast.Accordingtothere-porttheschoolnowseeslon-gerperiodsofstaffretention.TheNWTTAplanstore-leaseasecondreporttitledACloserLookbyearlyJune.Thisfollowupreportwillde-tailissuesinspeciclocationsthatmustbeaddressedintheshorttermMeredithsaid.Toviewthereportvisitwww.nwtta.nt.ca.PhotoNWTTAIwaslivinginaffordablehousingbutthesewerlinefrozeandthelandlordcouldnotxit.Ihad24hoursnoticetomove.NWTteacherhousingsurveyNWTTApresidentGaylaMeredithsaysthereportintendstobringpeopletogethertondsolutionstothehousingcrisis.NationalNursesWeekTheFSHSSArecognizesthatNWTnursesarethefoundationofastrongandvibrantservicedeliverysystem.Ournursesareanintegralpartofourcommunity.ThisweekpleasetakethetimetoacknowledgeandthankournursesfortheircommitmenttoHealthServicedeliveryandforajobwelldoneTheFortSmithHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityispleasedtojoinitsnursesincelebratingNationalNursesWeek.