The ThunderBlogs

Dramatic rent increases for social housing across Vancouver have left many low-income individuals and families in constant fear of eviction.

Brant Villa is one of many social housing complexes owned by BC Housing. There are 48 units in total – some are apartments intended for single adults and others are townhomes designated for families. The complex is located in a family-oriented neighbourhood, tucked away behind the high-traffic Kingsway.

The two-storey units in the complex are arranged in two rows spanning from 25^th to 27^th avenue. In between the rows are two parking lots on both ends, largely empty on a Saturday afternoon, and a patch of neatly trimmed grass in the middle. There is a single bench that sits on the side of the grass.

The units’ exteriors are uniformly designed and have grim and hermetic appearances – small windows provide few openings in the brown stucco walls on the ground level and dark teal wood panels lining the upper level. A short flight of stairs leads abruptly into each unit in the absence of a front porch. Tenants attempt to lighten up their units’ harsh exteriors with various decorations and motifs. One house has seven dreamcatchers of different sizes and colours hanging from the eave.

The Villa seems to be in a world of its own and is in direct contrast to the large family homes with front and backyards that surround it.

Despite a sense of isolation from the rest of the neighbourhood, there is a strong sense of community within the complex. Several adults were engaged in active conversation late Saturday afternoon outside their homes. Among them were a caucasian woman, a black woman carrying a 7-month child in her arms, and a Muslim woman wearing a purple hijab. While they were chatting, their children were playing tag and running about between the units.

The three women all expressed their anger towards the recent raise in rent, which they claimed was part of Premier Gordon Campbell’s relentless efforts to balance the provincial budget at the expense of the poor.

According to the black woman, who is a single mother of three, her rent has increased two-folds this year from 300 to 600 dollars. Due to her seven-month-old child, she has not been able to return to work and has relied on social assistance the past year.

With the recent rent increase, she now has to allocate three-quarters of her monthly welfare income for rent, and this does not include additional expenses on utilities. When she spoke to BC Housing regarding this issue, they told her to use the Canada Child Tax Benefit she receives monthly to supplement the shelter portion of her welfare income. She said their suggestion completely disregards the wellbeing and development of her infant. The other women shared similar stories.

To exacerbate their current situation, they said that BC Housing has yet to announce a rent freeze for the upcoming year. Thus, there is looming uncertainty over whether the rent will increase again, which could leave many tenants with no option but to move out, and worse, to live on the streets.