In June 2019, myFM journalist Grant Deme brought you a special feature surrounding vagrancy and affordable housing in Strathroy-Caradoc. The story below is the exact version of what was on our website during the time, with the figures and job roles of that time. It is one of our featured recaps from 2019.
According to the Canadian Rental Housing Index, the average rent prices in Ontario is $1,109 per month excluding utilities, which is on par with the rest of Canada.
However, the same index shows Ontario residents are spending upwards of 73% of their income on rent and utilities alone, the second highest percentage across the country, seven points behind B.C.
Over the course of a week, myFM’s Grant Deme interviewed a number of people from both sides of the conversation to get a sense on where the situation stands in the municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc.
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David Alderton is a father of three.
He works two jobs as a contract driver and works for Uber every weekend in Sarnia. His wife stays at home to care for their daughter and two sons, one a two-year-old and the other with special needs. Daycare, they say, is too costly for her to return to work, and their one son has some bad days.
They currently live in a semi-townhouse, paying $1,500 a month before utilities, which typically puts them over $2,000 a month Alderton said. The self-proclaimed “bigger guy,” says at times the floorboards sink, and they often do battle with carpet ants – something he says their landlord is on top of and trying to fix.
Alderton looked for help from some agencies, but their income is just over the limit accepted by Habitat for Humanity, something he said would be a wonderful option to have.
So for now, two jobs and a side gig will have to do, something Alderton said takes its toll.
Jessica Gee shares that treading water feeling.
After all, she and her family have been evicted three times in six years, through no fault of their own. The first eviction came when the homeowner’s daughter became pregnant and needed it back for her, the second came as the owners opted to move back into the property, and the third eviction came as the house was sold.
It wasn’t until her current landlord reached out and took them in late last year did they feel some sort of stability after all this time.
Gee simply says, the increasing rent prices in the province simply can’t go on much longer.
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton calls the situation a “huge concern,” and said they’re trying to work on addressing the rent surge too.
The problem he says is the record low rental vacancy rate at 1.8% in 2018.
The municipality itself is working on adding more homes to the mix.
The role from a policy standpoint in addressing vagrancy and rent control falls on Middlesex County, but the issues and concerns being often talked about have not fallen on deaf ears in town.
CAO Greg McClinchey says as the area continues to grow both in size and economically, creating a healthy mix of affordable housing sometimes becomes a problem.
Earlier this year, the municipality approved 22 additional homes to be built, and are looking into an additional 900 units to be constructed as part of a major development.
That won’t fix the problem here locally, says one woman who agreed to be interviewed, but myFM is choosing not to name.
The woman fled an abusive relationship and was hopping couches for three years with her young child before connecting with the Women’s Rural Resource Centre, who helped her find a geared to income unit.
Temple Property Management has 75 units in Strathroy, with 55 of them owner Tim Zavitz calls “affordable.”
These units go for anywhere between $550-$640 including heat a month, depending on the unit. The remaining 20, which he called “market rent units,” start at $1,250 each month before utilities.
They raise rent according to what the market dictates each year Zavitz mentioned, but when it comes to the less costly units they increase the bare minimum required, which is usually no more than 2%.
There’s a rule of thumb Zavitz says when trying to find a place to live you can afford.
He agreed with a perception of landlords held by some tenants, who feel their landlord can raise the rent to whichever they please simply because they can and there’s nowhere else to go.
“We can sell a unit in a day, so you’re not really concerned about tenants leaving as much as you were maybe five or ten years ago,” he said.
The waiting list for those 55 units stretches 264 names long, and they don’t see much turnover when someone finally secures a property, Zavitz noted.
He pointed to an increase in housing prices as another contributing factor in rent going up.
Some members of the municipality are facing the issue head on.
Andrew Roberts doesn’t work but collects disability each month, enough to pay for an apartment above a business in town which he only received through help of a local church.
It’s not enough space, but it beats the stretch of his life prior to finding a roof where he was homeless.
The committee is fronted by Salvation Army major Roland Shea and it carries local residents like Roberts who have been impacted by homelessness, and two members of Strathroy-Caradoc council as they work towards finding a common solution for everyone touched by the housing crisis.
There is no simple fix to the surging home and rental prices locally, provincially, or federally. It’s not going to happen because a single politician promises it will, nor will things change if no action is taken.
The average person in Ontario spends almost 75% of what they earn just to have a roof over their heads and the lights on. That does not include food, clothing, or any other expenses.
As more than one person told myFM this week, it feels like they’re drowning and every time they get a gasp of air, another bill pushes them back underwater.
Perhaps it’s time to find some life jackets.
follow Grant Deme on Twitter @GDemeMBC and myFM News @News1057
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Editor note: Each story told is unique to the respective person’s situation, and myFM is not attempting to generalize everyone’s experience or opinions on housing in the municipality. There are a number of other factors outside of rent price which contribute to the ability to secure affordable housing or rent anywhere in Canada, and in no way is My Broadcasting Corporation attempting to suggest otherwise.