A woman looking for new rental housing for her family is speaking out about the high prices being charged for dilapidated homes.
Rachel Degraw has garnered attention for her search for a new house to rent for her family. She’s looking in Burnaby but recently posted about a New Westminster house that was boarded up and covered with graffiti in the photo in a rental ad.
The price being charged is $2,600 a month.
“Unbelievable,” Degraw tweeted. “Looks like a drug den.”
Degraw said the options available to people have been depressing as she searches for a home that can fit three young children, two parents, and two animals.
“To find a family home in Burnaby that is suitable and look where they will accept you, is almost impossible, especially if you don't want to be paying upwards of $4,000 and above,” said Degraw.
Degraw wants to stay in North Burnaby so that her kids won't have to transfer schools and lose important friend groups.
“We want a home where we don't always have to uproot children and move them from schools and preschools and friends and community centre activity and to practice and all that great stuff they love,” Degraw told the NOW.
While frantically looking for a new place on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, Degraw has also found a trend of garden and basement suites being available for rent - not entire homes.
“So right, you're going to be on the top or the floor, on the top of the house or the bottom of the house. And we tried that once and with kids, you know, you can't stop their natural noise and that style of living is really not practical. If you have kids, you know, bouncing balls or running around playing or crying or whatever it may be,” said Degraw.
- With additional reporting by Patrick Wachter
