After months of couch surfing and living rough, a local homeless man has found a home.
GuelphToday last spoke with Aaron Collins in October, a man in his 40s who had fallen on hard times and was living in an encampment set up at the end of Armstrong Avenue near Lyons Park.
His arrival sparked outrage in the neighbourhood, and he was met with conflict and confrontation, which he said continued throughout the winter.
People walking the dogs along the trail would encourage them to pee on his tent; passersby might spit in his direction.
Still, he stayed there throughout the winter, resorting to couch surfing, sleeping in his truck or in a mouldy storage room on the more frigid nights.
All the while he was looking for an apartment, frequently being turned down because he was homeless and would be paying rent with ODSP. It felt like an exhausting and impossible task, one he nearly gave up on.
“People can’t complain that people are homeless if (landlords) aren’t going to rent to them,” he said.
By the time Family Day weekend rolled around, he felt he’d hit rock bottom: his truck broke down, his knee blew out, a snow storm was raging through the city, and he felt utterly alone.
But by Monday, things started to turn around. He ran into an old friend from high school who happens to be a real estate agent.
“He had a friend who just bought a house with a bunch of apartments in it,” he said.
When the basement unit became vacant, the owner started renovating it.
“Because he just purchased the building, he could start evicting people and renovating things and increasing the rent, just like everybody else does, but him and his family are different. They recognize they’ll be sending people out onto the streets,” he said.
The owner was ok with Collins paying rent through ODSP, and rushed to get the renovations done so he could move in.
“He’s just an incredible, kind gentleman. I can’t thank him enough,” Collins said.
He pays $1,750 all inclusive.
It’s a small basement apartment that doesn’t get much light, “but it’s in a really great building.”
“The other neighbours are really welcoming, really great people. It’s freshly renovated, it’s clean,” he said.
The location is ideal for him because it’s right downtown, so he can access all the services he relies on.
He doesn’t have a bed yet, but the Guelph couple that has been helping him out since he first landed on the street put the word out that he’d found a place, and were able to secure him plates, a blender, towels, cutlery and other needed items.
“She’s been great. I don’t think I could have made it without her, honestly,” he said. “Not just that she would help me out with food and stuff, but having somebody my own age demographic coming out and caring, spending time to talk with me, showing empathy.”
“The biggest challenge for me, and I’m going to assume most other people that are homeless, is isolation. People won’t talk to you, or they will yell at you,” he said.
Though he’s now in the safety of his own space, with a door he can lock, it’s going to be some time before he fully adjusts.
“I know that I’m traumatized. I had to change to be homeless,” he said.
He might not shower for weeks at a time; sometimes he couldn’t eat his food because it was frozen and he didn’t have enough propane to cook it. He would wash his dishes with a spray bottle and towel, with no hot water.
“I started noticing my first few days here, I caught myself a few times washing my dishes with my spray bottle and paper towel,” he said, having to remind himself there was hot water and a sink (though he says he has become more adjusted since then).
“Adjusting is hard, but it’s a testament to the trauma I’ve gone through,” he said. “But it’s really positive, don’t get me wrong. I’m a whirlwind of emotions.”
With the help of Second Chance, he recently received a small grant to purchase supplies to start a dog waste removal business, which he plans to start up once his truck is fixed next week.
“It’s the perfect season. Right now, all the snow is melting and all the poo is showing up and everyone’s freaking out. They need to call Aaron to come clean it up,” he said.
He noted his camp is still set up near Lyon Park, because it’s buried in snow and he hasn’t yet been able to clear it out.
He said bylaw assured him no one needs to worry about cleaning the encampments until March, because of all the snow and ice, and that when the time comes they will help him remove it.
“I’m doing my best to get it cleaned up. I’m not leaving it by any means,” he said.
“I’m really blessed at the moment to be here.”
