Impossible to live in this town

[SNT]

It's been said before that the rent in Kelowna is crazy, but I think what is more crazy is what the disabled are given to live here. I've lived in Kelowna my whole life and due to unfortunate events, I ended up unable to work and forced to apply for disability. I get $981 per month as a single person.

Currently I'm living with a friend on their couch because they gave me the deal of rent just under half of my income a month. I want to move desperately, because this is terrible for my mental health, but even looking for a room in a strangers house is an average of $600/m. They give a max shelter allowance of $375 and this is supposed to cover rent and basic utilities. Most rooms are almost double!

I don't want to move away from the only place I've ever known and leave the people I love. I'd go for subsidized housing, but the wait list is on average 5 months or longer. How am I supposed to live? I want to live on my own, and I don't think that should be a crazy thing to want as a person with disabilities, but I can't afford to fork over over 70% of my income just for rent.

[Atomoa]

Christy Clark says the economy is roaring and life is good in BC.

You should send her a letter.

[Piecemaker]

I'm guessing you have contacted mental health services through Interior Health? While 5 months seems like a long time when you have no where to live, it's not really that long in the grand scheme of things to have affordable housing. If your connections are here, it makes sense for you to stay here. It simply isn't significantly cheaper to live anywhere else.

[SNT]

I'm guessing you have contacted mental health services through Interior Health? While 5 months seems like a long time when you have no where to live, it's not really that long in the grand scheme of things to have affordable housing. If your connections are here, it makes sense for you to stay here. It simply isn't significantly cheaper to live anywhere else.

I've been through it all, from interior health, to BC housing and there isn't much of a selection in kelowna. You could be left waiting a year with out a place to live. For some people, five months isn't something they can wait for. I'm lucky to have friends and family, but some people don't have that and are left either on the street or forced to try and move with what little money they have. I think the point is that the BC government is leaving the disabled so deep into poverty that they cheer themselves on when after around a decade of stagnancy, they finally tacked on a measly $77/m, about $52-$66/m of which was taken for transportation- leaving some with only around an $11 dollar increase. The bus pass before was just $45/y.

In the grand scheme of things, five months could be the difference between living on the street or not, it could be the difference of life and death for some people.

[Queen K]

I truly believe more affordable housing needs to go into smaller communities. Wait lists could be set up for people who want to move back to Kelowna's affordable housing when places come available. At least a need would be fill for the interm and who knows, maybe people would not want to even move back once given a choice.

But living on someone's sofa would be difficult under any circumstances.

[SNT]

I'm guessing you have contacted mental health services through Interior Health? While 5 months seems like a long time when you have no where to live, it's not really that long in the grand scheme of things to have affordable housing. If your connections are here, it makes sense for you to stay here. It simply isn't significantly cheaper to live anywhere else.

I've been through it all, from interior health, to BC housing and there isn't much of a selection in kelowna. You could be left waiting a year with out a place to live. For some people, five months isn't something they can wait for. I'm lucky to have friends and family, but some people don't have that and are left either on the street or forced to try and movie with what little money they have. I think the point is that the BC government is leaving the disabled so deep into poverty that they cheer themselves on when after around a decade of stagnancy, they finally tacked on a measly $77/m, about $52-$66/m of which was taken for transportation- leaving some with only around an $11 dollar increase. The bus pass before was just $45/y.

In the grand scheme of things, five months could be the difference between living on the street or not, it could be the difference of life and death for some people.

I should mention, that should someone end up on the street in the five months that they are waiting, chances are they will never get into a place. With out a phone or address, how would they be contacted? I grew up poor and by incredible luck and kindness, narrowly avoided becoming homeless. I'm there again now, and homelessness is not something to be taken lightly. Five months on the street in the winter could kill you. To say it's not a long time is a gross understatement.

[SNT]

I truly believe more affordable housing needs to go into smaller communities. Wait lists could be set up for people who want to move back to Kelowna's affordable housing when places come available. At least a need would be fill for the interm and who knows, maybe people would not want to even move back once given a choice.

But living on someone's sofa would be difficult under any circumstances.

Real affordable housing would be amazing for people on disability. Something needs to be done and if that's the answer I'd be all on board. In BC people with disabilities are around 44% under the poverty line, so either they are given enough to live in the privet market, or they are provided homes geared towards their income. I've heard of affordable housing for years, but have yet to see much aside from senior living.

[lesliepaul]

SNT.........I sympathize with you and hope your luck changes for the better very soon. You are definitely not alone, so many are in a daily struggle to survive here it is incredible. Like one poster mentioned earlier here.......we are fed BULLS#@T daily by these B.C. Liberals and Kelowna's own "entitled" mayor and council about how GREAT B.C. is and how the economy is the best in Canada. These elected officials do not care as long as their personnel lives prosper and of course their friends. What I want to happen to the majority of these low life politicians cannot be printed on this site but it would have to be in the most disgusting fashion possible.

[lightspeed]

I really don't know how a bunch of people manage to survive here based on typical earnings and cost of living.

Every year it gets worse. But we have no shortage of minted immigrants and people retiring or relocating here from other parts of Canada with healthy bank balances and home equity.

Car dealerships are busy, trades are busy, new developments keep on selling out at every price point, the pubs, bars and diners are all full. New retail going up in every corner of town.

So I guess if Christy Clark, Colin Basran, the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Kelowna, the real estate board, Accelerate Okanagan and various other "informed" organs say Kelowna is booming and super awesome, then it must be.

I guess....?

[phasyluck]

Kelowna has a had a false sense of it's basic economy for years, I feel for the OP cuz it's a tough go there.

[Atomoa]

Kelowna has a had a false sense of it's basic economy for years, I feel for the OP cuz it's a tough go there.

I get $981 per month as a single person

I'm curious where in BC is 981 dollars a month a do-able living allowance. Should we ship all the disabled people to trailer parks in Yahk?

Is 981 dollars a month something we feel as a society is suitable? Why are we giving home buyers subprime loans for their down payments when the disabled in BC eat cat food?

This isn't welfare. These people are disabled.

[fvkasm2x]

Christy Clark says the economy is roaring and life is good in BC.

You should send her a letter.

Send one to Trudeau too. He cares about struggling Canadians I've heard

[django]

It sucks that you aren't allowed to work and earn atleast some income beyond the disability allowance without it being deducted. I don't see anything wrong with letting people supplement their disability cheques within reason. Some aren't able to return to their jobs but are capable of doing other work that is less demanding.

[SNT]

It sucks that you aren't allowed to work and earn at least some income beyond the disability allowance without it being deducted. I don't see anything wrong with letting people supplement their disability cheques within reason. Some aren't able to return to their jobs but are capable of doing other work that is less demanding.

The thing with earning on disability is that you can only earn about an extra 9k a year before they start taking it out of your supplement. This deters a lot of people from working more, because essentially they are working for free until they are making more than what they would get with disability. Ontario I believe only takes 50c to every dollar made over the allowance, which at least gives people a reason to keep working harder.

[JollyGreenBully]

It sucks that you aren't allowed to work and earn atleast some income beyond the disability allowance without it being deducted. I don't see anything wrong with letting people supplement their disability cheques within reason. Some aren't able to return to their jobs but are capable of doing other work that is less demanding.

They can earn $800 a month w/o any money deducted, it's just a lot of people on Disability obviously can't work and it can be really difficult to get hired. But even with 981+800 I think the amount still ends up a bit less than FT minimum wage.