Letter to the Editor

 


On January 15, 2010 my world as I knew it changed forever. I lost my son on what would’ve been his 21st birthday. Instead of celebrating his life we were mourning his death. From that day on it seemed as though our lives were shattered to pieces. Our family was never the same again. Things began to go downhill from that day forward and everyday seemed like a struggle. I thought things couldn’t get any worse, until the day that Akwesasne Housing Authority sent me an eviction notice.

On June 23, 2012 I was given until 4pm to get all of my family’s belongings out of our house. I couldn’t believe this was happening. After all that we’ve been through in the past 2 years I absolutely did not see this coming. We had been facing financial difficulty since the death of our son. It was hard for my husband to find employment whereas I was self-employed. I started up my own little business. Since I could remember I loved to be in the kitchen watching my mother cook. With our economy not at its best I came to the conclusion that I would try and bring some money into our home doing something that I enjoy the most, cooking. I made daily lunch specials, specialty pies made to order and catering for special occasions such as birthday parties, family reunions etc... My clientele was very limited. It consisted mainly of family and friends of the family.

When I received my eviction notice I made sure to read it carefully. It was stated that we were being evicted based on nonpayment. We were behind on our payments and Akwesasne Housing Authority demanded a lump sum of $2,300, no partial payments were to be given. If I had $2,300 do you think I would let this happen to my family? We were losing the only shelter that we’ve known. To live in a house for 23 years and it just be taken from you just like that? We raised our children in this home and our grandchildren even began calling this “home.”

We were almost done paying on our house and it was being taken from us? Where were we suppose to go? Who was going to take my family in? These were questions that I asked myself immediately after reading this eviction notice. We had nowhere to go. Our family had to be split up! I had to place my son with members of the family, my daughter with a friend of the family and my husband with his sister. I had to lug 23 years of my belongings into a friend’s basement, this is where I eventually found myself living. Never in my life did I think things would end up like this. Every day that I awoke in that basement and looked around I cried. My whole life was sitting in front of me, in someone’s basement! I cried myself to sleep at night wondering what’s going to happen next? I thought that’s what HUD was for, to provide housing for families? So why was ours being taken from us?

Another issue that disgusts me is the fact that an employee of Akwesasne Housing Authority had the audacity to come to me while I was in the middle of moving and ask me to REMOVE a tree that our family planted in memory of my son. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Really? Remove a memorial tree? How would you feel if this happen to you? I don’t wish death upon no one but put yourself in my shoes! We’re being forced to leave a home where my kids grew up in and now you want me to erase any and all traces of my family being there?

A month ago our house as we knew it was posted in the newspaper with a big FOR SALE sign next to it plus 1.14 acres of land. When my husband and l first applied for housing it was stated that Akwesasne Housing Authority would receive % of an acre to build our house on. So can someone please tell me where they get 1.14 acres? They have no right to sell our home and take more land than was originally given to them!

This situation has taken its toll on me and my family. It has caused us all a great deal of emotional distress & and at times, depression. Enough is enough! After talking to other members of the community we’ve come to the decision that we will not let this go. Akwesasne Housing Authority does not have the right to kick us out of our home, a house that they built for us! A house that we raised our children in, a house that our grandchildren look forward to going to, a house that would’ve been paid off in a few years. They do not have the right to take our LAND! My husband has attempted to meet with the “Chiefs” and resolve this matter peacefully but it’s always “We’ll get back to you”. How long do we have to wait until we get a response? We refuse to give up! A sign was put up at our home letting everyone & HUD know that our house is NOT FOR SALE! We will get back what rightfully belongs to us!

Donna Arquette

 

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