By Jennifer Pass
Special to the Record
Will you still need me, will you still feed me… ?
The Beatles, back in the ’60s addressed that general fear we have of aging (they said “64” in the song – seems like it could be 84 now), and being cast-off – being unloved, unhoused, unneeded, and unfed.
But now these chickens are coming back to roost. There are seniors (at least one I know of directly) in our community who are too competent for assisted living, and too old (apparently) for the reasonably priced housing provided for “seniors.”
They are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they are settled in a reasonably priced rental, they are holding on – afraid that an eviction (those dreaded words from the landlord, “I need the suite for family”) will suddenly mean a move and a huge rent increase that they cannot afford. I am not blaming the landlords – there are often legitimate reasons for evictions. But then, where do the renters go when they can only afford to pay about half of what is the going rate for a one-bedroom? Are they supposed to starve?
We like to think that there are organizations in the Comox Valley specifically designed to meet this need. But there is a years-long wait list for BC Housing, and other organizations are also not able to keep up with the demand.
And so I am trying to help an 84-year-old woman find accommodation. A woman who had a good rental arrangement in the Comox Valley for the last 17 years. And we have barked up all the “government programs and charity organization” trees we can think of in this search for a home for Evelyn (a pseudonym).
It seems that with the new provincial government plan to encourage municipalities to allow more garage suites, basement suites, etc., we might start to address the present housing crisis. But that does not help those presently without a home.
After 17 years of comfortable rental, Evelyn is effectively homeless, dependent on the good graces of her family to provide temporary accommodation.
We know the annual CBC pre-Christmas food bank drive has raised $2.1 million so far this December for food banks across B.C. That is fantastic. But what about housing? How can we provide housing (please, not just the one room for living/bedroom/kitchen model —it is very difficult for a senior to navigate in such a small space) for those who cannot afford the current entry level of $1,400 a month?
I cannot help thinking that there must be basement suites and garage suites that could be made available – perhaps not quite finished, perhaps sitting vacant waiting for a family member to return home. How can we, as a community, help those who are elders who are now homeless? How can our local governments encourage this help? How can we reduce rents so that there is housing for the vulnerable? Perhaps we could create a listing of these unused suites for appropriate renters.
These questions are plaguing me, and I hope they are plaguing you also; we are reduced by turning away from sights we do not want to see.
My email address is passj@telus.net, if you have a suite available or have other ideas or solutions.
Jennifer Pass is the Co-ordinator of Comox Valley Elders Take Action (ETA)