A Bristol man has hit out against Bristol City Council and its Homelessness Prevention Team with claims of "wilful neglect" and "discrimination" toward him.
Mark Sutherland, a 60-year-old Black Muslim man with underlying health conditions, told Bristol Live he was "evicted" from his property in August and placed into supported accommodation. He says he was later evicted and now spends his days sleeping in a pop-up tent on the streets.
He said he was kicked out of the premises for "indecent exposure" which he denies - and claims he had a towel wrapped around his waist at the time he needed to quickly relieve himself due to a weak bladder condition. He said he feels the actions toward him were "racially motivated" and recalled being told "not to play the race card" when he made a complaint about being "bullied" by staff while living at the accommodation. "It's one rule for one another for everyone else," he said.
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He told Bristol Live that he feels he has "been left on the street like a dog" with "no investigation into accusations or due diligence" taken by the landlord/emergency housing team. "These organisations have a duty of care to support people like me but instead I'm pre-judged, racial stereotypes and made to feel less than," he added.
Mr Sutherland said he had a viewing at Imperial Apartments in Whitchurch Lane in Bristol, a place The Homelessness Intervention Team had arranged for him to view housing a few weeks ago. However, due to being on the street and needing to travel by public transport from one part of Bristol to another, he said he was running late.
But despite calling ahead to inform them, he claims when he arrived they wouldn't show him the space and was told another viewing would be arranged. He said he was then recently informed that he had been denied housing in the property without any recourse and claims "no reason was given".
As a vulnerable adult receiving personal independence payment (PIP), he is desperate for some "stability" but believes the council just wants him to "go away'' and "give up trying" despite his need for housing. According to him, he has been struggling to get hold of his assigned housing officer and the stress of it has worsened his mental health.
"No tolerance is given to those with mental health issues. It makes me feel low, it makes me feel degraded, it makes me feel embarrassed," he added.
On Friday, October 14, Mr Sutherland said he learnt that the council had disposed of his possessions that were placed into storage from his temporary accommodation. He said he lost valuable and sentimental items he has accumulated over the years and claims he was not informed of a deadline to collect his belongings.
Mr Sutherland feels let down by the service and distraught by how he has been treated. Fortunately, he has found solace, warmth and comfort at the Bristol Methodist Centre on Lincoln Street in Lawrence Hill, where he has access to food and shower facilities a few days a week.
Centre manager Ross Jeffery, who has been a shining beacon of hope, told Bristol Live that he has been "liaising" with the Homelessness Prevention team on behalf of Mr Sutherland due to his lack of access to online facilities. He explained how he felt “disgusted” by Mr Sutherland's experience and how much more aware he is of how certain groups of people are being treated.
He said: "Those that can be combative, argumentative or ones that have a forthrightness about them, are often put on the back burner because they don't want to work with them or see them as trouble - so they don’t want to help.
“But everyone deserves a second chance or a third and if Mark gets a place at Imperial Apartments, he would thrive because of the facilities that would benefit and sustain him. With a little bit of support, he could be back on his feet in no time."
Mr Jeffery said Mr Sutherland currently has "no stability or structure" - something he lost when he became homeless and has been "stripped" of the opportunity to have a place where his family could spend time with him. Mr Jeffery said he doesn’t want him to become another statistic of someone who “dies on the street, in prison or suffers gravely".
He said Mr Sutherland feels "injustice" and "double standard" - and "if he had a stable home environment most of the anxiety, fear and frustrations that he's feeling wouldn’t be present".
Prior to publication Bristol Live went to Bristol City Council with these allegations. At the time of publication they have not responded.
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