Rental housing shortage a problem that will just get worse



Photo by Dan Ferguson/Langley Times
The fire which destroyed a portion of the Paddington Station apartment block in Langley City on Dec. 11 has put even more pressure on the Langley rental market. More than 80 families will be out of their homes there for as long as two years.


There has been a lot of focus on affordable housing in the past year, but much of the political attention and media coverage has focused on people who want to buy a home.
Meanwhile, renters are facing many challenges, with some of the most significant ones coming at them in the next year or two. The skyrocketing price of real estate, which is reflected in the recent assessment notices, means that landlords will seek to boost rents as much as they are able to.
Meanwhile, the supply of rental housing is not increasing at the level it should be in an area with steady economic growth and a growing population. This lack of supply also gives landlords another incentive to boost rents – they know they can get higher rents because of the demand.
A panel discussion on seniors housing and homelessness at Langley Senior Resources Centre on Jan. 17 heard a number of concerns about affordability, and the challenges facing renters were front and centre.
Historically, Langley City has been one of the most affordable rental housing markets in the entire Metro Vancouver region. That is one reason that many seniors live in Langley City, and many lower-income families also live in the City or nearby.
That has been changing gradually in recent years, as some older apartments and homes have been demolished for new construction. Most of the replacement housing has been in the form of condos – some of which are available for rental, but at a significantly higher cost.
The Dec. 11 fire at Paddington Station apartment complex in Langley City has put even more pressure on the rental market, as occupants of more than 80 suites will be out of their homes for as long as two years while the block that was destroyed by fire is rebuilt.
(See Langley Times story and video for more on the fire).
Residents of manufactured home parks have also felt the pressure. There are currently 14 such parks in Langley Township, but no more are being built. This is because the cost of land makes it prohibitive to establish such parks.
Most residents of such parks own their homes but pay pad rental. The costs are affordable, and there is a great sense of community in the parks. However, there will be increased pressure to redevelop these sites.
Several years ago, Datwiler Mobile Home Park in Murrayville was bought by developer Century Group, and rezoned for a seniors residence. The residents who lived in the manufactured homes did find other places to live, but for the most part, they were unable to relocate their mobile homes because there was no place that would take them.
Roz Bailey, president of Surrey Manufactured Home Owners Association, said at the meeting that policymakers should consider manufactured homes as a potential solution to the shortage of low-cost housing, as an “age-in-place” option for seniors. One way that could be done in Langley Township would be by implementing a moratorium on redevelopment of such parks – at least until alternatives have been explored thoroughly.
Housing Minister Rich Coleman said at the discussion one reason there is a shortage of rental accommodation is that few incentives have been offered to build rental buildings. At one time, the federal government offered significant financial incentives to developers to build rental units, but that hasn’t happened for years.
The B.C. housing ministry has spent hundreds of millions on construction of new and renovated housing. A significant amount has been for homeless shelters and rebuilding of downtown Vancouver SROs (single room occupancy units). Recently, Coleman announced funding to help build 82 units of affordable housing for seniors on the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran church property on 72 Avenue near 200 Street. This is a welcome step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done.
Coleman’s ministry could explore raising the income threshold for residents to receive rental subsidies under the RAP (Residential Assistance Program) and SAFER (Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters) programs.  He told the meeting that over 100,000 people are now receiving rental subsidies, which are directed at low-income families and seniors.
Much more attention needs to be paid to the looming challenge of increased rents and the limited supply of rental accommodation. The panel discussion was a welcome step in this direction.


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