Kim Kerr was right -- added to on 02 July 2010

I cannot dismiss Kim's claim that BC Housing did not give him enough money to manage the buildings (see Statement of Defence). Lily also said that every accountant Kim hired also came to the conclusion that BC Housing did not give him enough money. Only Kim and BC Housing were privy to the financial statements. What right did Kim have to withhold this information from the directors of DERAH and the DTES community. The community could have save DERAH if it knew the truth.
In 2007 - monthly
Income from rentals $100,000
Income from BC Housing (subsidies) $100,000
Total income $200,000
Mortgage payments $110,000
Wages $45,000
Insurance $10,000
Utilities $14,000
only four items total $174,000
So what is left to pay everything else $ 26,000 that is less than $100 per unit
Non-profits should not be using the accrual method of accounting. It should be cash-in cash-out. The old fashion way. Simple.

the Portland Hotel Society

There seems to be a general consensus out there that the PHS Society (the Portland Hotel Society) is 100 times worse than DERA ever was. I checked this morning and found out that at least seven employees earn over $100,000 a year with benefits and yet the PHS has no money to WASH windows for its properties. For years I have seen the dirty windows (an insult to architect Arthur Erickson) and just assumed the Portland didn't have the money to clean. I would like to know who these employees are that make $100,000 a year as I would like to ask each of them to donate monies to get the windows washed. I personally feel that no one employed by a charitable society should earn more than 3X the minimum wage. This should also extend to public servants. If all these social and public employees worked for minimum wage capped at 3X I assure you that the minumum wage would be more than $8.00 an hour.

Law Foundation Cuts Funding

It was announced yesterday that the Law Foundation has cuts its funding to DERAdvocacy.

In the National Post on Monday it said that criminal charges could be laid against those that did wrong at DERAHousing. This is not what I heard at the court application hearing on May 18th 2010 when Sabrina asked the Court if the signed confidentiality agreement meant that no one would be prosecuted. The lawyer for BC Housing confirmed that if the terms of the confidential agreement were met no one would be prosecuted. I suspect Rich Coleman didn't get it right when he spoke to Brian Hutcheson, the reporter.

In an interview with the National Post, provincial housing minister Rich Coleman said a criminal investigation of DERA on matters "such as fraud" could be forthcoming. "We're not precluded from taking [further action]," said the minister.
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PIVOT and Carnegie Governing Boards

Ancillary to what is happening at DERA, two events should be noted. Although I was very vocal in the community about DERA and its non-compliance to the rule of law since the summer of 2009, Julie Rogers was re-elected to the Board of Directors of the PIVOT Legal Society. The only qualification that Julie had for the PIVOT Board of Directors was her directorship with DERA. And then if that was not bad enough, Pat McSherry was elected recenty to the Board of Directors of the Carnegie Centre. Pat McSherry is a director of DERA and her contribution to any discussion at any board meeting was "wait until a problem happens." The function of a Board is to make sure that problems do not happen. Not only was Pat a director she was also the Secretary. Because of her laziness she allowed a hired employee to look after her legislated duties (see Society Act). Pat was elected a few weeks ago to the Carnegie Board so everyone knew in the DTES that she was a party to the destruction of DERAH and still she was elected. Both Julie and Pat as well as every director of DERA/DERAH should be barred from ever being a member of any Board. Both should be held $accountable for what they did and in this case did not do. This just shows what type of Boards the decision makers and funders listen to. If there was even a whisper that a Board was or had members that were dysfunctional, funders should run. But then funders are just employees so why should they care.
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Response The Vancouver Sun June 12 2010

This response has not been published by the Vancouver Sun.

Rich Coleman's office neglected to say in its report to the Sun June 12 2010 that there is an outstanding application before the Courts by a DERAHousing Director, Audrey Jane Laferriere, to be added to the BC Housing action. Although Mrs. Laferriere is a director of DERAHousing she was not privy to the litigation. She questions the legality of the confidential agreement since both the judge and the lawyers for BC Housing knew of her non-involvment. How can an agreement be ratified without all the directors knowing about it.
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Audrey Jane Laferriere,
Director of DERAH (April 2009),
778-329-1250
audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca

So sad, Mr. Green

In response to Mr. Green's response to the Vancouver Sun about DERA June 12 2010.

I am very sad that Jim Green is sad that the original DERA does not exist. It can again as DERAdvocacy is still there maybe not for long but it is not lost yet (the only part that is affected by the receiver-manager is DERAHousing) so why doesn't he and the other "leaders" of the DTES get involved. They were rumours for years of mismanagement and yet DERAdvocacy and DERAHousing were allowed to flounder. The blame for the failure of DERA Housing and the eventual failure of DERAdvocacy (by the domino effect) is the community. No one else. Anyone that lives in the DTES is a member of DERAdvocacy. And it is not too late for the community to organize.
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