Photo: Darren Handschuh

All Meranda Dussault wants to do is move her family into a better neighbourhood, but that is proving a difficult task.

The problem for Dussault, her husband and young daughter, is the price of rental housing in Vernon.

While they are currently renting an older home in the Harwood area, Dussault said her four-year-old daughter's bedroom is so cold she cannot comfortably sleep in it.

They have also been the victim of several thefts and Dussault simply wants to raise her child in a better environment.

“I've been looking for a long time trying to find a place to rent,” she said. “I have noticed a crazy increase in rental costs. It's scary.”

Dussault, who moved to Vernon in 2007 from the Lower Mainland, said rental prices have almost doubled since 2012.

“We pay $1,100 a month and even that is a reach for us, but we don't have a choice. The biggest challenge is finding something in our budget,” said Dussault, adding she has also looked at rental units in Armstrong and Cherryille.

Dussault said rentals in Armstrong are on par with Vernon and, while they are cheaper in Cherryville, that would mean a 45-minute commute.

Dussault has also found many rentals request mature couples and no pets allowed, narrowing the available pool even more.

She even has a property management company looking for a rental unit as well as friends in real estate keeping an eye out for something -- with no luck.

“This is something we have been facing for a number of years. It is across the province. It is not unique to Vernon,” said Annette Sharkey with the Social Planning Council. “For your average income earner, finding a place to rent is really challenging.”

Financial experts say a person should not spend more than 30 per cent of their income on housing, but that is not the reality in Vernon.

“We know it is significantly higher in our community. We have really been pushing for a national housing strategy. This is something that cannot be done locally. It's too big,” said Sharkey, adding all levels of government must work together to address the issue.

“Canada is one of the few industrialized countries that does not have a national housing strategy. We need more incentive for the private market to build more rental housing. Right now, it is just not a good investment based on the price of land and construction. We have not seen a lot of rental housing being built in the last 10-20 years.”

Sharkey said there used to be tax incentives for people to build and operate rental housing, but over the years those incentives have been eliminated.

“We have been looking at this problem for at least 10 years now. We have made some strides, but it does not even make a dent in the housing that is needed,” she said.

Coun. Juliette Cunningham, who also sits on the affordable housing advisory committee, said the city is working on the issue, but it is a big issue.

“I think there is always housing available for those who can afford it, but there certainly is a lack of affordable housing for people with lower incomes,” said Cunningham. “We do work with our partners in terms of making policy changes at city hall regarding development cost charges for subsidized housing.

“We're giving grants to those who are going to be building rental housing. They can apply for grants to offset development cost charges. We believe the market tends to even out the more inventory there is.”

The city also leases land to projects building affordable housing.

“We go out of our way when we can to make this happen, but there is always more demand than there is supply in that area,” said Cunningham, adding the city is also pushing for a national housing strategy.

“It will take a co-ordinated effort at all levels of government. One level of government can't deal with it. It has to be an integrated approach. I think it is going to get worse. The working poor and seniors are accessing the food bank more. That indicates to me the problem of affordable housing is getting worse.”