Weston

Artscape

When COVID hit many Artscape Weston tenants lost all or most of their income. Their landlord offered deferred rent for April with a repayment plan but tenants feared this would bury them financially. 

“For us, it was important that because we’re a small group that we support and check-in on each other regardless of whether our neighbours were part of the KYR group or not. We genuinely care about each other. Many of us are used to living in precarious housing, so this is the first secure housing we’ve had. The prospect of standing up to a landlord now carries a sense of risk and volatility. We issued a press release that picked up media attention. We have now been provided with up to 100% rent abatement for April, May and June based on individual financial needs, which have helped us manage the crisis we find ourselves in.”