Women’s society disputes Northview claims of housing program

The executive director of the Yellowknife Women’s Society is calling for greater collaboration with Northview after a representative from the REIT shared “misconceptions” with a committee of MLAs.

Last week, Colleen Wellborn – a Northview regional director who oversees properties in Yellowknife and Inuvik – spoke to the Standing Committee on Social Development and described the state of the NWT rental landscape as a “shocking crisis.”

In a letter sent to committee members on Friday last week, Renee Sanderson of the Yellowknife Women’s Society refuted claims made during the presentation and said “a collaborative approach between YKWS and Northview could have prevented many issues from escalating.”

In her presentation to committee members, Wellborn said she heard from one of Northview’s security contractors that a tenant who was previously experiencing homelessness had arrived at their new accommodation equipped with only an air mattress, a blanket and a key.

During the question period, MLA Shauna Morgan stated that this tenant was likely a beneficiary of the Housing First program since that program helps people experiencing homelessness to secure housing.

Morgan asked Wellborn if this lack of suitable supports was something she understood to be happening often or if this could have been an isolated incident.

Wellborn said she didn’t have much more information and she tries to maintain a degree of separation from tenants who have subleases from Northview through a social service organization.

In the letter submitted to the committee of MLAs, Sanderson said every Housing First unit is fully furnished and equipped with cleaning supplies and a food hamper. Additionally, staff conduct regular check-ins with tenants and provide on-call support.

“Building trust and providing additional assistance are key priorities for YKWS in delivering this program,” according to the letter.

Quest for dedicated building

Following the presentation on Wednesday, Range Lake MLA Kieron Testart – Wellborn’s spouse – asked if Northview has a practice of blacklisting tenants.

Wellborn said Northview has no “formal system for that.”

“We have a set of standards that we use. We do landlord references and we assess people’s ability to pay rent,” said Wellborn. “If people meet those requirements, there would be no reason for us not to proceed with renting a unit to them.”

In her letter, Sanderson said she received an email from Wellborn in May 2024 saying three tenants had been evicted from their units and would no longer be allowed on any Northview properties.

“While Northview has publicly stated that no blacklist exists, this email directly contradicts that claim and raises serious concerns about how individuals are being treated,” read the letter.

Sanderson wrote that in July 2023, she shared a proposal with Northview to have one of its buildings dedicated entirely to Housing First tenants. The letter says this was to address ongoing challenges with the program.

Simpson House, which has been previously characterized as in poor condition, was identified by Northview as a possible property that could be dedicated to Housing First tenants, but greater consultation within the company was said to be required before it could move forward, according to the letter.

While Northview continued to say more time was required, Sanderson wrote that she received an email from Northview in July 2024 with concerns about Housing First residents.

“From my perspective, these concerns further underscored the urgent need for a
dedicated building to house the program,” the letter stated.

Ultimately, the Simpson House idea was abandoned due to the low vacancy rate within the building of three percent.

Sanderson says she was promised a plan for a dedicated building that never came.

The letter calls for collaboration and “meaningful action” from Northview to improve conditions for tenants.

“We must act now to ensure the safety of our residents and the well-being of the staff who support them,” wrote the letter.

In a written statement to Cabin Radio, Northview said it would not be appropriate for the REIT to comment on the letter’s contents because it was addressed to the Standing Committee on Social Development.

“We value our successful partnerships with housing agencies and remain committed to working together to ensure the interests of all parties are respected,” Northview stated.