January 23, 2013 Volume 9 • Number 4 50¢ Newsstand Price
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Participate in City budget meetings online – page 2
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Kamloops joins global rising – page 5
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The Kamloops Rent Bank starts up in February Homelessness prevention is the critical key for individuals and families in their fight against poverty. The loss of housing means a deepening spiral into poverty that is more difficult to overcome, not to mention the stress, depression, and detrimental effects on the development of children. The Kamloops Rent Bank Working Group members, are very pleased to announce that the first rent bank in Kamloops will be available to serve families in February 2013. Operation of the Rent Bank will begin February with funding support from the Interior Savings Community Investment Fund, the Kelson Group, United Way TNC and the Stollery Charitable Foundation. For those unfamiliar with the concept, this does not include just handing out money to anyone who phones saying “I can’t pay my rent.” Rent Bank loans are for people who have been challenged by an emergency situation that jeopardizes their income and do not qualify for other types of funding; people who would otherwise be left to fall through the cracks and enter the cycle of homelessness. A Rent Bank is a service to assist these individuals and families when they find themselves in crisis, by providing small, low interest, loans to keep people in stable rental housing, or to pay utilities. For those that meet the criteria, the Rent Bank will offer them loans of roughly $1,000. The recipients would have two years to pay it back and, if they do, they get the interest they paid returned to them as a savings plan. To be eligible for this program tenants must face immediate danger of losing their home or having their services terminated due to unpaid rent or utilities in arrears. Applicants are assessed, and those who have mostly paid their rent regularly but have run into a crisis are the likely recipients. Tenants must also be able to afford the
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Janet Bakke, Kamloops Rent Bank administrator is pictured in front of the rent bank location at the Kamloops and District Elizabeth Fry Society, 827 Seymour Street.
rent in the long term and have a regular source of income. Successful applicants will be those with the ability to make the small loan payments and engage in some financial training. A lot of agencies have refined this concept over the years and Rent Banks have proven to be one of the single most effective homelessness prevention program. This new service will be available through the Kamloops and District Elizabeth Fry Society location at 827 Seymour Street with the ongoing support from Kamloops Rent Bank Working GroupNSE members Danalee - Jan. 16, 23 Baker, United Way; Russ Chambers, Kamloops Foundation; Becky Clements, Interior Savings NSBIA - lug May11.indd 1
Credit Union; Kelly Fawcett, Kelson Group; Tangie Genshorek, Homelessness Action Plan; Janice Jackson, Citizen At Large and Louise Richards, Elizabeth Fry Society. They are seeking more funding. Can you help? The more funds raised the more families they can keep housed! Donations to the rent bank in any amount will be accepted on an ongoing basis. The more funds they have to loan out, the more families they can keep housed. To learn more visit kamloopshap.ca or contact Tangie Genshorek, Coordinator, Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan via email, info@kamloopshap.ca or by calling 250-571-9665.
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