Ruth Ingersoll, Executive Director of the Community Development Council of Quinte and Robert Gentile, President of the Quinte Region Landlords Association. (Photo: submitted)
Landlords in the Quinte Region are stepping up to tackle
the region’s homelessness problem. An upcoming seminar on December 17 will show local landlords
how to reduce homelessness through eviction alternatives. The event is being held by the Quinte
Region Landlords Association (QRLA) in partnership with the Community Development Council of
Quinte. The Quinte Region covers a large area between Brighton, Tweed, Prince Edward County, and
Napanee.
In recent years the QRLA has been reaching out to local social service organizations to learn about
the many services and resources available to at-risk tenants. Association President Robert Gentile
says “most landlords care about their tenants, and want to play a meaningful role in reducing
homelessness.” Gentile says the association has brought in various social service organizations to
educate the members on how to help tenants in need. The list includes Hastings County, Ontario
Works, ODSP, Hastings Housing Resource Centre, and the Community Advocacy and Legal Centre.
Gentile believes landlords can help prevent homelessness by finding alternatives to eviction. “If we
can help tenants get through a temporary crisis, we may be able to save the tenancies, and avoid
more people being put out on the streets. Once they’re out, they may have a tough time finding
another place with our current housing crisis.” Gentile points out that most tenants and landlords are
not aware of the full breadth of support services available to people facing challenges, including special
emergency funds to help tenants pay rent. When someone stops paying rent, eviction is often the only
tool landlords are aware of. “But evictions don’t always go as planned and can be a long, expensive
process.”
Gentile says the upcoming seminar is the association’s final event of the year and will end 2018 on a
positive note especially during the Christmas season. “Hopefully we can empower more landlords to
make a meaningful difference in the lives of their tenants.”
The special event is scheduled for Monday December 17, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. at San Souci Banquet Hall in
downtown Belleville and is open to the public. Admission is $10 and an optional buffet will be available
for purchase. To ensure adequate seating, attendees are asked to pre-register by filling out the
contact form on the association’s website quintelandlordsassociation.ca.