Latest news with #hoarding
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Winnipeg lacks staffing, resources to deal with hoarding: report
The City of Winnipeg lacks the staffing and resources to deal with the problem of hoarding, finds a new report. According to the city document, Winnipeg has been working to address hoarding for more than three years. This involved the creation of a task force and a triage group, which include representation from Winnipeg police, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS). Through these initiatives, the task force worked to manage hoarding cases and referred those in need to the proper resources, particularly to community crisis workers. However, the report noted, community crisis workers can no longer help with this project due to other work commitments, which has led to a major dip in the number of cases the city is handling. 'As a result, promotion of the hoarding referral service and interactions with referrals has been at a minimum until new resources can be identified,' the report said. 'There are still no resources available with the appropriate skillset to meet and work with referred individuals.' Hoarding, as characterized by the American Psychiatric Association, is the persistent difficulty of getting rid of possessions due to a perceived need to save them. The report notes the behaviour is linked to 'complex' mental health concerns that often require intensive support. 'These supports do not exist currently within the city,' the report stated. 'Further, as identified through the work of the Taskforce and the Triage Group, needed services are also limited in community or have significant wait times.' The report will be discussed at a meeting of the standing policy committee on community services on July 2.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Hoarder's home drew 19 complaints before fire
A Frederick St home drew 19 complaints in the year before the pile of goods around it caught fire. Photo: Supplied by LDR Nineteen complaints were made in one year to Hastings District Council about a home surrounded by hoarded goods before it caught fire over the weekend. But firefighters as recently as eight months ago did not deem the pile a fire hazard, because of a lack of ignition source - meaning there was no enforcement option available to authorities. In the early hours of Saturday morning the "materials", which included piles of scrap wood, ignited and quickly spread to the Frederick Street home, near the Mahora shops. Firefighters were called from Hastings, Napier and Taradale. One person was treated by ambulance staff at the scene. Police said on Monday the fire was now being treated as suspicious, and they were investigating. Neighbours and locals who have watched the pile in the yard grow over the past few years say they have been stunned at the lack of council action at what they claim was an obvious fire risk. A council spokesperson said it had received the complaints, but after exploring the Health Act, Building Act and the Resource Management Act it found "no enforcement tools available" to allow it to remove goods from the private property. The council spokesperson said staff were exploring whether there were any other options for enforcement before the fire broke out. The council has now employed contractors for an urgent clean-up of the charred debris at the house, the cost of which is yet to be determined. A close neighbour, who declined to be named, said the house was set up like a "fortress" and said the last four and a half years living beside an "obvious" fire risk had been "hell" for her family. She said she was lucky in the early hours of Saturday morning she was lying awake when "all of a sudden the room was light". By the time her husband went outside to have a look and came back in, the blaze had spread from the stuff piled in the front yard to the neighbours' house. "We woke up our three children and my mother-in-law and took them over the road, then grabbed our dog and birds. "I also grabbed my go bag, which has our birth certificates in it, because I just knew that one day this would happen. "Things were exploding. It was scary as hell. Just nuts man." A Frederick St home surrounded by piles of hoarded goods went up in flames in Hastings on Saturday morning. Photo: NZME Among the debris was a charred gas bottle, which was placed on the footpath near the home at Frederick Street on Saturday. Firefighters remained onsite most of the day with parts of Frederick Street closed to traffic. The neighbour said she had made numerous complaints to the council about the piles of goods around the property. "I've been sent from the council to the police to fire and back to the council. "People have said to me 'why don't you just move?' "It's not that simple. We bought in the boom, so paid top dollar and the fortress wasn't there then - you could see the front door." Fire Emergency New Zealand Hawke's Bay advisor for risk reduction Clayton Locke said the house was assessed roughly eight months ago and no fire hazard was found. A fire risk was different from a fire hazard, he said. "[Even] your car parked on the side of the road can be a fire risk. "A fire hazard has an ignition source such as an incinerator in your backyard, with grass up to the window sills," Locke said. He said if a property was found to have a fire hazard, firefighters' first approach would be education, before then issuing a notice of remedy. Rochelle Sudfelt from ClearHoarding NZ - a task force dedicated to raising awareness, reducing stigma and providing support for homeowners who hoard - said she also made a complaint about the house last year. "Someone from the council had assessed the property and didn't deem it a risk to the environment until it spilled on the berm," she said she was told. She said one in 20 homes in New Zealand was considered at risk of becoming a "hoarding house". "Fire is the greatest risk to people inside these homes as well as fire and emergency staff who put themselves at risk getting inside to help people. " Another nearby resident said the council was receiving ongoing complaints about the Frederick Street property. "I live just down the road, the footpath always had items being dropped on council land outside. "I asked the council if they could advise the occupant to remove it and if it could do something about the risk it was creating. "The items were then moved into the property until the room inside was running out quickly. "I found the council's reply hard to believe. It said 'sorry, we understand your concern, but there is unfortunately nothing we can do, we are aware of the property, however, we can refer your complaint to the fire services to look into'. "Nothing happened. This property has been a fire and safety concern for years." Police urged anyone with information to contact Police on 105 and quote 250621/9027. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
CTV News
21-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
A moving company says cluttered, unsafe homes are leading to an increase in challenges
Movers say they're seeing more difficult cases, including homes in extreme disarray, hoarding situations, and units that pose health hazards to workers. A moving company says cluttered, unsafe homes are leading to an increase in challenges A moving company and a pest control company say they've seen a sharp rise in especially difficult moves since the pandemic. These include homes in extreme disarray, hoarding situations, and units that pose health hazards to the workers walking in. Pierre-Olivier Cyr, co-owner of Déménagement Le Clan Panneton, said that before the pandemic, his team would encounter mental health-related moving challenges roughly once a month. But now, he says, 'we're seeing that kind of situation two to three times a week.' He believes the issue has exploded in the past year. In many cases, Cyr said movers show up to an apartment to find no boxes packed, belongings everywhere — or worse. moving Sometimes movers will find things like needles, blood and condoms on the ground. (Submitted by Pierre-Olivier Cyr) 'It's not rare that the movers arrive, for example, at an apartment and they see some syringes, some condoms, some blood on the floor,' he said. 'Sometimes the person [client] is just there sitting, in shock.' Cyr believes these situations are linked to what he sees as a rise in mental health struggles that have persisted since the height of the COVID-19 crisis. 'In the past, people were ready for moving day,' he explained. 'Now we're called to reschedule because they aren't prepared. Other times, we arrive and realize they're hoarders and nothing has been touched.' 'Our movers aren't psychiatrists' The result, he said, is a growing burden on his employees. Not only are they asked to pack up entire apartments, but they must also navigate potentially unsafe conditions. 'Our movers aren't psychiatrists or mental health professionals,' Cyr said. 'So, we've had to put in place procedures to help.' He explained that, if movers walk into a situation with a customer in a mental health crisis, they call a dispatcher at their office right away. 'We manage it as a team, and we train our staff to be ready, but it's different every time,' he added. It's a pattern pest control expert Alexis Laberge, owner of Alextermination, is also seeing. He said he encounters heavily cluttered or unsanitary apartments every week, often in the context of a move. 'These apartments are very dirty and very clustered, which makes it harder for us to treat for pests like cockroaches or bedbugs,' he said. Pierre-Olivier Cyr, Pierre-Olivier Cyr, co-owner of Déménagement Le Clan Panneton, said that before the pandemic, says his team is encountering more mental health-related moving challenges. (Laurence Brisson Dubreuil/CTV) Laberge said the problem is logistical and financial. Treatment requires that apartments be emptied in advance, but when they're not, his team is stuck doing all the prep work. 'For every apartment that's not ready, we lose two to five extra hours,' he said. 'That's not what we quoted, so it becomes extra costs for the owner, the tenant, or the moving company and no one wants to take responsibility.' In one case about a month ago, Laberge said he and his team spent two extra days emptying a severely neglected unit filled with animal and human feces, cockroaches, and mice droppings. 'It was a nightmare,' he said. 'And in the middle of our busiest season.' He says these cases are not just draining — they're emotionally exhausting. 'It creates a lot of stress and anxiety for us, too. But we can't leave people like that. Sometimes, we just do it for free.' Pandemic made problems worse According to clinical psychologist Dr. Natalia Koszegi, these situations can stem from a combination of mental health issues, including compulsive hoarding disorder. Koszegi is the clinical coordinator at the Centre d'étude clinique sur les troubles obsessionnels-compulsifs (CETOC), where she specializes in obsessive-compulsive and hoarding disorders. 'Hoarding is a mental health disorder where people accumulate objects and have extreme difficulty letting them go,' she explained. 'They often feel emotionally attached or justify the need to keep them. Over time, it creates serious clutter.' She added that the pandemic exacerbated existing mental health problems for many people. 'The stress, unpredictability, and insecurity created by the pandemic affected everyone,' she said. 'But for people who already had a mental illness — including those with obsessive-compulsive or hoarding disorders — it got worse.' Koszegi also pointed out that not all disorganized homes are a result of hoarding. She said other conditions like depression, psychosis, or substance use can lead to over-accumulation. hoarding Movers say they're seeing more difficult cases, including homes in extreme disarray, hoarding situations, and units that pose health hazards to the workers walking in. (Laurence Brisson Dubreuil/CTV) But, when it comes to people with hoarding disorders, she said the experience of moving can be 'extremely complex' and lead to people being in crisis. 'Just gathering their belongings and putting them into boxes can take forever,' she said. 'It creates massive anxiety. People worry about losing or damaging their possessions, or being forced to throw them away.' In severe cases, she said, even the thought of packing can trigger distress. 'They might be afraid they won't have space for everything in their new home. It's not just a problem of organization, it's an emotional struggle.' Resources exist to help people navigate these challenges, but Koszegi said access remains limited. 'There are not enough services,' she said. 'But there are some community organizations and even city-level supports that can help people plan or prepare for a move.' She pointed to tools available through the Comité d'action pour le trouble d'accumulation compulsive (CATAC), a Quebec-based network offering peer support and professional resources for people living with hoarding disorder. For Cyr, the message is simple: these can be more than simply messy moves — sometimes, they're cries for help. 'We need to be ready to manage them with care,' he said.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Dozens of cats rescued from severe hoarding situation in Ramara Township home
A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, were recently rescued from an overpopulated household after a resident reached out to Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie, Ont., for help. (Supplied) What began with just a few cats had quickly grown into a chaotic and unsustainable hoarding situation in one Ramara home. A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, was recently rescued from an overpopulated household after an overwhelmed resident reached out to the local shelter. 'We took in 16 cats, including five adult males, two male kittens and nine females potentially pregnant,' said Susan Bartley, president of Furry Friends Animal Shelter to CTV News. The situation had quickly escalated as the unfixed cats were left unsupervised and continued to reproduce. Cats A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, were recently rescued from an overpopulated household after a resident reached out to Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie, Ont., for help. (Supplied) 'Most of them had health issues, the little ladies were all on pregnancy watch, ear mites, bad teeth, injuries. It's been quite the challenge,' Bartley continued. The Ramara resident, who had been overseeing the household, recognized the growing crisis and contacted Furry Friends Animal Shelter. Furry Friend is a non-profit, no-kill organization dedicated to providing homes and love to abandoned, lost or rescued animals in the Barrie area. Cats A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, were recently rescued from an overpopulated household after a resident reached out to Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie, Ont., for help. (Supplied) 'They were kind enough to bring these cats to us, we lent them a giant stack of carriers and they brought them back full of kitties. It is not uncommon for our volunteers to go and collect animals from homes though, especially if the owners are unwell or unable to drive,' said Logan Meadows of Furry Friends Animal Shelter. These 16 cats were part of a cycle of overpopulation and neglect. With limited resources and care, their physical condition had begun to deteriorate. 'It's really difficult, and really heart breaking for both the animals and the people involved. There's frequently a mental health component to these situations, the people involved usually have no support networks to rely on and get completely overwhelmed physically and financially, Meadows continued. Cats A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, were recently rescued from an overpopulated household after a resident reached out to Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie, Ont., for help. (Supplied) By the time help arrives, it's not unusual to find homes with multiple generations of cats all born within months of each other. 'People go almost blind to what's happening around them, and by the time somebody steps in you're a dozen litters of kittens down the line with more on the way. This is why we always talk about how important it is to spay and neuter your animals as soon as possible, it's much more affordable to do it when you only have one or two healthy cats instead of 20 with a multitude of medical concerns,' said Meadows. As with many rescues, the costs are significant. While the well-being of the animals always comes first, organizations rely heavily on volunteers and fundraising to meet the overwhelming demands. The entire kitty family needed to be treated for an intestinal parasite called 'giardia.' This is something that causes rampant diarrhea and dehydration, which can be super dangerous for the pregnant kitties and kittens of this group. Cats A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, were recently rescued from an overpopulated household after a resident reached out to Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie, Ont., for help. (Supplied) Now, after weeks of receiving some love at the local shelter these cats are slowly unwinding and realizing that they don't need to live in survival mode anymore. 'Unfortunately, the work is far from over with these kitties. Some need dental surgery, some need ongoing treatment for their parasites, and there are litters of kittens on the way shortly,' the volunteers of Furry Friends continued. Whether it's the change of environment, much needed medical care, tons of good food or a little of everything combined, bit by bit these precious kitties are learning that their hardships are behind them. To help this fuzzy family complete their journey to good health, you can donate to the organization by sending an email to Asktheboard@
Fox News
19-06-2025
- Fox News
Woman missing for months found buried under piles of hoarded trash in her own home
A retired police detective's skeletal remains have been found inside her rural Connecticut home filled with hoarding conditions seven months after she was reported missing. The remains of 73-year-old Mary Notarangelo were discovered in February after work crews arrived at her rural Connecticut home to remove piles of trash accumulated from the retired detective's hoarding behavior, according to the Glastonbury Police Department. Notarangelo was last heard from around June 12, 2024, when she texted a friend to say she was suffering from abdominal cramps and vomiting and had fallen. Approximately three weeks later, the friend called the police to request a welfare check. Seven months later, on Feb. 24, an environmental services crew was called to Notarangelo's home to begin removing the "mountains" of garbage. Notarangelo's skeletal remains were discovered after workers used a small excavator to shovel a large pile of debris from behind her front door. Authorities have not provided a reason why it took over half a year to find Notarangelo's remains, though officials pointed to the large amount of trash in her home. Glastonbury police said conditions in the home were among the worst they have seen and complicated attempts to locate Notarangelo. Officials reported finding cages of dead birds, a live cat and mice within the home, which also had a terrible stench. "Once inside, I observed more mountains of garbage, cobwebs and spiders," Officer Anthony Longo reported. "There was no path whatsoever. The only way to move from room to room was by climbing over the garbage." Local authorities conducted their first search of the home on July 3, 2024, but were unable to locate Notarangelo, citing hoarding piles as the primary factor. A drone was also deployed into the house, but ultimately struck cobwebs and was disabled, according to police. Additional searches were conducted on July 5, July 11, July 12 and Nov. 20, but Notarangelo was never found. "It's so upsetting and so sad," said Patti Steeves, a friend of Notarangelo's who previously worked at the Bridgeport Police Department as a civilian employee. "She, as quirky as she was, was a good person at heart." Steeves revealed she had made attempts to speak with her friend about the hoarding, but Notarangelo did not want to discuss the issue. Notarangelo was also a "bird fanatic" and had about 20 birds, along with a cat and dog, her friend said. Notarangelo worked with the Bridgeport police from 1985 to 1996, and was promoted to detective in 1992 and to sergeant a year later, according to the department. She later retired on disability following an on-duty car crash, Steeves said. Notarangelo's cause of death could not be determined because her remains were primarily skeletal, the state medical examiner's office said. The Glastonbury Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
