REGINA - A Moose Jaw man who is a cancer survivor and legally blind is fighting to stay in his government housing.
Randy Hughes has lived in a Moose Jaw Housing Authority three bedroom bungalow along with his wife and a cat.
Hughes had mobility issues and needs a wheelchair and a scooter to get around, but has considered the bungalow home for close to a decade and says it suits his needs.
But the NDP’s Shadow Minister for Housing April ChiefCalf is reporting that Moose Jaw Housing Authority has told Hughes he is "overhoused," and must move out.
“He was asked to relocate to a two-bedroom apartment that does not accommodate his mobility devices,” ChiefCalf said. He adds Hughes was also told if that didn't suit his needs, he should look for accommodation in the private sector.
Hughes told reporters at the legislature Wednesday he wants to stay where he already is.
“Well, I'm comfortable where I am, and I managed to make everything accessible where I'm living, and make it so that my needs are met,” he said. “And I'm thinking if I'm not there, I'm going to have a really hard time functioning anywhere else.”
Hughes believes a number of things weren’t being considered by the housing authority, such as the special lighting and other things set up to accommodate him .
“That was never considered or anything. I don't have any way of doing that now. If I go somewhere else, I won't be able to set up anything so that I can have the same quality of life that I have now.”
As for what they defined as “overhoused”, Hughes said that as far as he can tell, “it's a three-bedroom unit, and they want it to be a two-bedroom unit, which is that one extra bedroom where my daughter comes and spends the nights there on the weekends sometimes, whatever. That was the only explanation I got.”
The family has tried their best to advocate for him. His brother, Stuart, has power of attorney and spoke of some of the struggles they had faced.
“I had to contact them, Housing Authority, and get them to send me a letter that said you had until the end of April to move out or move to Hyde Park towers. We've contacted them. We've talked. We've arranged an extension. He's got until June 30th now to move out or find, you know, move to the private sector or accept a place in Hyde Park towers. And Hyde Park towers does not accommodate him at all.
“I mean, he's a cancer survivor of 15 years. The chemo has destroyed all his joints. Both retinas are detached…. and they're asking him to move into a place where it's filled with secondhand smoke. He's got lung cancer. He's got bone cancer. He's got cancer in his lymph nodes.
His kidneys, it was renal cancer. His kidneys been removed.
“And it's not in remission. He still has cancer. It's just stable… He's got enough stress. He doesn't need this. It's just not right.”
The Hughes family did manage to secure a meeting with Social Services Minister Terry Jenson on Wednesday. In that meeting they hoped for some answers as to whether this was a policy or a regulation, and whether they have to move.
Following the meeting, Jenson issued this statement:
“I appreciated the opportunity to sit down with the Hughes family to learn about their housing situation and specific needs. I committed to them that the local housing authority and Saskatchewan Housing Corporation would continue to work collaboratively with them to ensure their housing remains stable and meets their needs moving forward.”
