At 90 going on 91, Paul Zwing茅 is still living independently, painting, and driving himself to shopping and errands around downtown Langley.
He91裸聊视频檚 also facing some tough choices, as his home of the last five years is about to fall to the wrecking ball, and he91裸聊视频檚 not sure where he91裸聊视频檒l find a new place to live.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 looking at either the end of February, or the end of March,91裸聊视频� Zwing茅 said. He91裸聊视频檚 waiting for a notice that he91裸聊视频檒l have three months to vacate the home he shares with his son on Langley City91裸聊视频檚 Eastleigh Crescent.
Right now, Zwing茅 and his son split a rent of $1,550 a month for the two-storey, three bedroom apartment. The building is older, but well kept up, and gives them a bit of a back yard, a carport, and easy access to the downtown.
Wherever he finds himself next, he91裸聊视频檒l likely have a smaller space, no yard, and be paying as much if not more in rent, even with government supports and non-market housing.
The rent he91裸聊视频檚 seeing for apartments he could share with his son is way out of his price range.
91裸聊视频淭wenty-four hundred, twenty-five hundred,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 nothing in the $1,800 bracket.91裸聊视频�
He91裸聊视频檚 been in touch with BC Housing, and they can put him on a critical housing list, but only once he gets the word that the clock is ticking on his building coming down.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 very fortunate for 90 years old,91裸聊视频� he said.
He still drives and is very independent, and would like to stay close to the neighbourhood he lives in now.
But it doesn91裸聊视频檛 look likely.
Dubbed 91裸聊视频渄emovictions91裸聊视频� by housing activists, thousands of people have been forced to move because of the rapid wave of development that has swept over the Lower Mainland in recent years. Many older, relatively cheaper low-rise apartment blocks built in the 1960s, 91裸聊视频�70s, and 91裸聊视频�80s are being demolished in favour of larger new rentals or condo projects.
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Because B.C. has controls on how much rent can be increased for existing tenants, but few or no restrictions on how much it can be increased when a new tenant moves in, seniors and others on fixed incomes often face a huge rental increase shock.
It91裸聊视频檚 driving many seniors into homelessness, often for the first time in their lives.
A recent report by United Way, which had input from the Langley Seniors Resource Centre, noted that in Langley Township, 47 per cent of seniors pay more than 30 per cent of their total income on housing costs; in Langley City the figure is 58 per cent.
For some, things are even more extreme. A total of 21 per cent of seniors in the Township spend more than 50 per cent of their income on housing, 23 per cent in Langley City.
91裸聊视频淲hat we are seeing is that the income people are making, with the increasing rate of rental, it91裸聊视频檚 not matching up,91裸聊视频� said Wendy Rachwalski, manager of community services at Langley Seniors Resource Society.
Seniors who don91裸聊视频檛 have a pension from a company they worked for get by on any savings they may have, plus government programs like Old Age Security (OAS), the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), and their Canada Pension Plan (CPP) if any.
In addition, B.C. offers Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) which subsidizes the cost of rent.
But those programs are not increasing their payments at anything like the rate at which rent is climbing.
Rachwalski is hearing from desperate Langley seniors who can91裸聊视频檛 find any housing, including one man who came to the centre for assistance recently.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 living in his truck with his four dogs, because there91裸聊视频檚 nowhere to go,91裸聊视频� she said.
Another call was from someone trying to find help for a local man who is living in an unheated trailer in the yard of a home that91裸聊视频檚 about to be demolished. He91裸聊视频檒l have to leave.
91裸聊视频淲here is he going to go?91裸聊视频� Rachwalski asked.
There are projects that are helping, Rachwalski noted, pointing to Emmaus Place, built by Shepherd of the Valley Church on 72nd Avenue, and the almost-complete Jennie Gaglardi Place on 56th Avenue, built by Christian Life Assembly.
But they aren91裸聊视频檛 keeping up with the need.
91裸聊视频淚n Langley, we have so many buildings being torn down because they are being redeveloped,91裸聊视频� said Rachwalski.
Zwing茅 is luckier than some seniors in similar circumstances 91裸聊视频� he has a couple of possible non-market housing options.
But if the owner of his current apartment moves forward right away, Zwing茅 is worried that he91裸聊视频檒l have to find somewhere to stay for several months before one of them is available.
He doesn91裸聊视频檛 want to be a burden on his relatives, who have a house full of kids. He wants to stay close to downtown Langley City if he can.
In the meantime, Zwing茅 was hoping that high interest rates slow down development plans for his current home 91裸聊视频� and give him a few more months.
