Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Dec 03/99) - While Bertha Allen had been leading the fight for elders' rights on the public stage, Catherine Mitchell is waging her own private battle on the home front.

Mitchell is concerned about her home, ever since she received a recent notice from the Inuvik Housing Authority saying she may have to move.

"Why are they looking at us elders?" she asked. "Why don't they just leave us where they put us and never mind moving us?"

Mitchell lives in a two-bedroom public-housing unit, and because she's over the age of 60, she lives there rent free. She said the community's elders worked hard to achieve a decent level of public housing in Inuvik and that she and her neighbours are upset by the idea they'll be shifted from the homes and lives they've built.

"The letter makes it sound like they'll take action fast, but we don't even know where they're going to put us," she said. "I know they're talking about the senior citizens home, but I have lots of stuff and I also worked there for two years around 1970. I just don't know if I'm ready for that place yet."

Housing Authority manager Vicki Boudreau said nothing is certain at this point, but approximately 30 tenants received notice last month confirming they were living in a state of either over- or under-accommodation and might have to move in the next few months.

"We review tenants' situations pretty much continuously, as family sizes change," she said. "Typically, we have one or two situations a month but there were a number of them in November, and so the board felt it was a priority to do something. There's also a waiting list for two-bedroom units and a list of 40 to 50 people who are waiting for any kind of public housing."

Boudreau said the authority oversees 255 housing units in Inuvik, with about 20 undergoing renovation. She said tenants under the age of 60 pay from six to 30 per cent of the total rent.

"It would be nice to leave elders alone if we have lots of accommodation," she said, "but we've got families with young kids living in apartments and who need a backyard and more space to live and play."

Mitchell said statistics don't offer her much comfort and that one neighbour has threatened to simply move out of town and live in the bush if she's asked to move. Mitchell added she's not an unreasonable woman and simply values her home, her independence and her proximity to her family.

She said she could imagine moving if she must but prefers human contact to letters in the mail, would like some help transporting her belongings and isn't impressed with having to uproot her life before the warm weather returns. She also wants to know where she might have to go.

Boudreau stressed the authority does its best to accommodate elders in making housing decisions.