BIRD'S HOUSE-ING LIST UPDATE

Hi Here is a comprehensive housing list I have put together from many different sources and have made as complete as I could so no major resources are missing. Format is screwed up highlight text and copy then paste and it should all line up again.
Happy House Hunting!

Show, tell, send, post this list-spread the word!!

Remember getting a place is like looking for a job: put your best impression and face forward, and "sell yourself" - highlight your good qualities and desires to "get life going" in a positive, healthy direction-be specific and have a plan to show you are serious. Gotta show you are different in a good way (example, I don't smoke, drink or do drugs at all or even drink coffee and go about my business of my version of dumpster diving or other activities legally so people respect that more and that makes me stand out in a good way and gives me a better chance for a place = less compitition, and more money saved! ) :) Above all Please BE HONEST! Telling the truth even though I made mistakes to guarantee my eviction actually saved me from being evicted and earned me more respect from my landlords! Integrity is priceless - thats what it means to be "solid" for real! It's way worse and there is no recourse left when people find out you lied than admitting the out truth -you can at least still get respect cuz everyone appreciates the truth- be more afraid of the consequences of lying than telling the truth cuz it's way worse.

BIRD’S HOUSE- ING LIST from: Kira Kelly (Additions? Suggestions? Need Copies? Email: returnedtoinnocence@yahoo.ca) It’s BIRD!
TO ASK:
* How much does it cost? WHAT is included (utilities etc)? Hidden cost$?
* What is shared (house)? Utilities? Co$ts?
* How big (Square feet)? Balcony?
* RULES: Pets? Visitors? Curfews?? Parking? Other Restrictions etc?
* Can I bring a bike inside place? Secure lock up/parking?
* Is there a LEASE? When does it come into effect? How long? Negotiable?? Penalties for breaking??

WARNINGS:
***ALWAYS HAVE A WITNESS WHEN YOU COME TO VIEW A PLACE OR ARE READY TO SIGN ANY WRITTEN (Making it a Legal Contract you Can be held to) AGREEMENT OR ANYTIME MONEY IS PAID – ALWAYS GET A WRITTEN RECEIPT.
***NEVER AGREE TO TAKE A PLACE, SIGN ANY DOCUMENTS, OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER WITHOUT READING ALL WRITTEN CONTRACTS VERY CAREFULLY AND ASK LOTS OF QUESITONS. HAVE A WITNESS IF POSSIBLE.
***PUT EVERY REQUEST OR AGREEMENT MADE TO MANAGERS/LANDLORDS (EVEN FOR REPAIRS ETC) IN WRITING, SIGNED AND DATED (making it Legal) FOR PROOF/RECORD! HAVE CONVERSATIONS RECORDED OR WITNESSED IF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS.
***It is ILLEGAL AND WRONG for ANYONE to ASK OR MAKE YOU PAY ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY (a “Deposit”) IN ORDER TO SECURE A PLACE TO RENT – THIS IS A SCAM.
***BEFORE MOVING IN HAVE WITNESSES AND/OR TAKE PICTURES AND DOCUMENT IN WRITING ANY DAMAGE etc SO YOU WON’T BE BLAMED FOR ANOTHER TENANT’S DAMAGE etc.

WEBSITES (www.) ***Also Good to find Used stuff for your place!***

craigslist.com myidealhome.com
usedvictoria.com housing.uvic.ca
victoria.kijiji.ca suitesinvictoria.com
salescene.com rentbc.com
http://rentals-canada.com househunting.ca
247apartments.com apartment24.com
rent.com renters.ca
sublet.com rentalmonster.ca

http://classifieds.canada.com/victoria/ (click “Real Estate”) Times Colonist Classifieds
www.vicnews.com Victoria News Classifieds
* Go to local university and college websites and do a search for off-campus housing.
* Go to Rental Company (see below) or Real Estate websites for rental listings.
* Do a www.google.ca search for local housing or cheap hotels...and, wow, lots of online choices.

ORGANIZATIONS
Phone: Fax:
Burnside/Gorge Community Association 484 Cecelia Rd/Jutland ave 388 - 5271 388 - 5269
Capital Mental Health Association (CMHA) 125 Skinner st off Bay st 389 - 1211 389 - 1263
CRD Housing 631 Fisgard St 388 - 6422
Swift St Medical/Dental Clinics Warf/Swift St same building StreetLink 385 – 1466 follow prompts

SUBSIDIZED HOUSING
Phone: Fax:
Balmoral Housing Society 921 North Park St. 388 - 7667 same
COOLAID Housing 757 Pandora st. past Blanchard 383 - 1977 / 383 - 0064 383 - 1639
The Housing Registry (For BC Housing, CRD, Pacifica) 301-3440 Douglas St (across from Walmart) 475 - 7550 475 - 7551
Pacifica Housing/Downtown Outreach Services (DOS) also VIHA MENTAL HEALTH HOUSING, BC Housing). 356 - 2555 / 356 – 2548
Swift St Clinic 385 – 1466 3 Cormorant St, up from AVI office on Blanchard

FAMILY
Phone: Fax:
Casa Maria Housing Society #21-1241 Balmoral Rd 386 - 7291
Co-op Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC) #410 – 1105 Pandora st 384 – 9444 384 – 0349
CO-OP Houisng VICHA Services 384 - 3151
Cridge Center for the Family 1190 Kings Rd/Hillside Ave 384 - 8058 387 - 2828
M'Akola Housing (First Nations) 2009 Fernwood Rd. 384 - 1423 381 - 1438
Victoria Association For Community Living (Developmental Disabilities). 477 - 7231 477 - 6944
Vic West Housing Society – K West 1419 Mallek Cres 384 - 1571 595 - 6106

TEMPORARY HOUSING/SHELTERS

YOUTH!
Phone: Fax:
Kiwanis Emergency Youth Shelter (age 13-18) 2117 Vancouver St 386 - 8282 384-0778
YMCA “the Y-Van” / Out of the Rain Shelters (age 25) 889 - 1490 / 896 – 9787 (cell)
Youth Empowerment Society (YES) 533 Yates St 383 - 3514

WOMEN AND CHILDREN ONLY
Phone: Fax:
Hill House 479 - 3963 (crisis line too) 479-3861
Sooke Transition House 642 - 2591 pager: 480-5461 642-2589
Women's Transition House 380 - 7527 / 385-6611 (crisis line) 385-5129

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR WOMEN:
Phone: Fax:
Kiwanis House (ages 16-29) 382 - 1004
Margaret Larwence House 995 - 0058 995-0048
Sandy Merriman House 480 - 1408 383-1639
YM/YWCA Women Residences 386 - 7511 Portia Mann: 418 - 1844

INDIVIDUALS ONLY:
Phone: Fax / email:
AIDS Vancouver Island AVI Cormorant/Blanchard St 384 – 2366
Toll free info: 1-877- 311 - 7400 334-8224
Anawin House Vancouver/North Park St. 382 - 0283
Foundation House (Men) 536 Cecelia rd (Gorge area) 480 - 1342 Pager: 1800 – 454 - 7668
Manchester House (Men on Parole) 384 - 1340
Salvation Army (Men) 384 - 3396
Society of St Vincet De Paul #100-831 Yates/Blanchard 382 - 2709
StreetLink 1634 Store St (bottom Herald St Chinatown) 383 - 1951
University of Victoria-On Campus 721 – 8431 (Liisa Gibson) Email: liisag@uvic.ca

Our Place Transition Housing Quadra/Pandora Ave 388 – 0343 (office) *** 385 - 2454
Victoria Human Exchange Pager: 1- 800 - 691 - 9366 (Pam) 995 - 9293

DETOX Sobering Center/Detox (Pembroke/Cook st) 213 – 4444 (reception)

***Also look in Yellow Pages phone book under “Drug and Alcohol Treatment” List of phone numbers!

HOSTELS
Phone: Fax:
Backpacker's Inn-Turtle Refuge 1608 Quadra/N.Park st 386 - 4471
The Cat's Meow Bunk & Breakfast 1316 Grant St 595 - 8878
HI-Victoria Hostel 516 Yates Street 762 - 4122
Ocean Island 791 Pandora Ave/Blanchard st 385 - 1789 toll free: 1 - 888 - 888 - 4180 385-1780

HOTELS/MOTELS
Phone: Fax:
Daffodil Inn 680 Garbally (off Douglas st) 386 - 8351
Hotel Douglas 1450 Douglas/Pandora st 383 - 4157 Toll Free:1 - 800 - 332 - 9981 383-2279
Fairfield Hotel 710 Cormorant (off Douglas) 386 - 1621
Jolly Knight 246 Gorge Rd E 388 - 5461
Ritz Hotel 710 Fort st (off Douglas st) 381 - 1868
Robin Hood Motel 136 Gorge Rd E 388 - 4302
Scotsman Motel 490 Gorge rd E 388 - 7358
Selkirk Guest House 934 Selkirk Ave 389 - 1213 Toll free: 1 - 800 - 974 - 6638
York Hotel 711 Johnson st 385 - 2544
Go on the internet (www.google.ca) and search for cheap hotels, many are along Douglas st. and also Gorge Rd. area.

RENTAL AGENCIES (PHONEBOOK)
BE AWARE OF SIGNING CONTRACTS/TIME LIMITS ON LEASES!! Be cautious of DISHONEST Companies!
phone: Fax/email:
Brown Bros 1125 Blanshard St. 385 - 8771 Fax: 381 – 7090 www.brownbros.com

Complete Residential Property Management Ltd. 101 - 1025 Hillside Ave 370 - 7093 Fax: 370 - 1127 www.completeresidential.com
Cornerstone Properties - (1year lease) #301-1001 Cloverdale Ave 475 - 2005 www.cornerstoneproperties.bc.ca
fax: 475-2008
David Burr Ltd 200 - 1037 Cloverdale Ave 384 - 9335 www.davidburr.com/ (click “current vacancies”)
Devon Properties Ltd 201 - 2067 Cadboro Bay Rd 595 - 7000 Fax: 592-3000 www.devonprop.com

Newport Property Management 1608 Fort St. 598 - 2220
toll free: 1 - 888 – 886 - 1286 Fax: 385-3763

Pemberton Holmes Ltd 150-805 Cloverdale Ave 384 - 8124
Toll Free: 1 - 800 – 665 - 5303 Fax: 380 – 6355
www.pembertonholmes.com

Proline Property Managers 201-20 Burnside Rd W 475 - 6440 Fax: 475-6442
www.property-managers

MUSTARD SEED – Queens off of Douglas st.
REES resource book (Coolaid) – office is on L side travelling down Pandora st. past Blanchard big red brick building
SparkleBright Laundromat message board– Kings/Quadra st near Dutch Bakery
***Other Laundromats in town***
Market on Yates message board

Newspapers
Black Press - Monday Magazine/Victoria News/Victoria News Daily/other areas of town – Broughton St across from YMCA
Street News 360-0852
Times Colonist Newspaper (at Pacifica Housing/REES center/Mustard Seed/CMHA)

TENANTS RIGHTS/ADVOCACY
Phone: Fax/email:
Residential Tenancy Office 1019 Wharf/Fort st. 387 - 1602 www.rto.gov.bc.ca/

Tenants Rights Action Coalition (TRAC) 1 - 800 – 665 - 1185 www.tenants.bc.ca

Together Against Poverty (TAPS) View St. between Douglas/Government st. 361 - 3521

COMPUTERS/PHOTOCOPY/(HOUSING) RESOURCES/NEWSPAPERS etc.
Phone:
Central Library/& other locations Broughton/Blanchard st (metal shelves outside – newspapers). 382 - 7241
Monday Magazine office lots of newspapers – across street from YMCA on Broughton
Our Place 919 Pandora Ave between Vancouver and Quadra St.
REES Center Pandora St between Blanchard/Douglas st. 595 - 8619
Capital Mental Health Association (CMHA) Skinner st just over Bay St Bridge 389-1211
NEED Crisis Line (EXCELLENT resource - ask for what you need) 388 - 7112
PHOTOCOPY: Street Link / Pacifica Housing / Sandi Merriman / Disability/Social Assistance offices/TAPS/Agencies for disabled.