Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (June 03/05) - Richard Hardisty wants to rebuild after a fire destroyed his uninsured home, but he's running into major obstacles.

Richard Hardisty lost his uninsured home to fire on April 22. He has requested material from the Housing Corporation to build a replacement, but has been told to apply for public housing instead. In the meantime, his attempt to raise a tent frame on his lot was halted by the Village of Fort Simpson.

Deemed an irresponsible homeowner by Housing Minister David Krutko in a letter to the Liidlii Kue First Nation, Hardisty has been denied another home by the NWT Housing Corp. The minister encouraged him to apply for public housing instead.

Hardisty, a homeowner for 33 years, feels slighted.

"I've had my own place all my life. I've been independent all my life," he said in response to the minister's suggestion that he rent a unit. "I don't want to go into public housing."

In the interim, he's been sleeping on a foam mattress on the floor of his sister's place.

His 20-year-old house, which he built himself through the Housing Corporation's former Housing Assistance Program, was gutted by fire on April 22. The blaze started in the kitchen where he said his friend was cooking. Hardisty lost everything.

He had carried home insurance for the first 10 years, but couldn't keep up the payments since then, he admitted.

Yet he had just purchased a brand new stove and refrigerator.

"If that's not the workings of a responsible homeowner I don't know what is," he said.

The Drum's call to Minister David Krutko's office was referred to Fred Koe, president of the Housing Corp.

Koe would not disclose the details of Hardisty's situation due to client confidentiality. However, he said there is a "long history" to the case and that the Housing Corp. has assisted and supported Hardisty on numerous occasions.

"Somewhere there's a cutoff," Koe said, adding that there's a long list of others awaiting their first opportunity at home ownership. "We want to help people that are responsible."

Larry Campbell, director of housing for the Nahendeh region, noted that Hardisty's house was considered to be "beyond economic repair" by the Housing Corp. prior to the fire. It required repairs worth more than 50 per cent of the value of the home.

Hardisty also lost his first Housing Corp. home to an electrical fire in 1984.

A dry-wall installer and painter, Hardisty, 53, said he's not looking for a hand-out. His income is irregular, he acknowledged, but he said he's willing to make deposits for building materials. Other community members with trades backgrounds have offered to help him with construction, he said.

Keyna Norwegian, chief of the Liidlii Kue First Nation, informed Premier Joe Handley of Hardisty's plight at the Dehcho First Nations' leadership assembly in Fort Liard May 24-26. Norwegian said she was appalled and offended by Krutko's characterization of Hardisty as someone who isn't capable of maintaining his own home.

"I was livid that the minister could write a letter of that nature," said Norwegian.

As chief, she said she's encouraging her people to be self-sufficient, and public housing is the antithesis of that. Handley, who was unfamiliar with Hardisty's case, replied that too many Northern residents fail to take out home insurance.

To make a statement to the Housing Corp., Hardisty decided to use salvaged materials to build a 12x14 foot tent frame and an outhouse on his lot. He and a relative started putting the flooring in place on May 21.

Bernice Swanson, senior administrative officer for the Village of Fort Simpson, said she received two complaints from members of the public who were concerned about the structure. She showed up and informed Hardisty that he required a development permit from the municipality before building.

Hardisty ceased work but scoffed at the idea of needing a site plan, floor plan and professional engineering for such a simple dwelling.

"It's just ridiculous," he said.

On the contrary, Swanson said the bylaw is necessary for health and safety purposes to protect the general public.

Hardisty is thinking about putting up the tent frame regardless of municipal legislation.

"If they want to take it down then take it down, but there's going to be a fight on their hands," he warned.

Swanson confirmed that the village would have the right to tear down the structure and fine Hardisty should he proceed without authorization.