Any doubt Nihal had that people living homeless have zero status as human beings was wiped out for good one day a while back when she was having an epileptic seizure on the sidewalk and bylaw officers “stepped over my seizing body” to take her belongings. More recently, they’ve told the 60-year-old that she can’t be anywhere on the metre-wide strip of paving stones closest to the new condo development on 900-block Pandora where bylaw and police now have a small office (and where Nihal was diligently sweeping to ensure the kids and dogs living in the building wouldn’t be at risk from any broken glass). Why? Must be because it’s the only section of the sidewalk that stays dry in a downpour. Then there was an incident with police, when she was sitting on a public bench having a pleasant conversation with a condo resident and police stopped by to tell her she’d been there with her stuff for long enough, and would have to move along. “I was a school teacher for 13 years and could sit and stand wherever I wanted in this city, for as long as I wanted,” says Nihal. “Now, I can’t be anywhere.”