Want to help make the case for more affordable rental housing in Vancouver?
The Tyee Solutions Society has spent the past several months investigating ways for leaders and policy-makers to better meet the housing needs of residents at all points on the income spectrum.
We've explored the challenges of everyone from marginalized Chinese seniors and British Columbia's vulnerable new Canadians, to those in the middle class seeking new models so that a safe, clean home in the city they love isn't forever out of reach.
Now, we'd like to give you a chance to share your stories of renter joy and woe. There are two ways to do so.
First, consider taking part in "Generation Rent," a special public storytelling night and panel discussion on Wednesday, Nov. 13. This evening event will explore what it will take for Vancouver to more fully support and embrace its growing population of long-term renters.
It takes place at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, SFU Woodward's (149 W. Hastings), from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Tyee Solutions Society reporter Jackie Wong will host and moderate the discussion. She's looking for renter storytellers to participate, preferably those who represent the city's economic, social, cultural, generational and ethnic spectrum, and in particular those who can share the following perspectives:
- What it's like for a parent, or parents, to rent in the city with kids
- The experience of living alone and earning all or part of your income through social assistance (disability assistance, income assistance)
- The experiences of a young couple planning a future together
- What it's like to be a young person living in shared roommate housing and making your first tracks in adult life
Interested? Contact Jackie with the email subject line "Generation Rent – renter storyteller."
In your response, please include the following information:
- Your gender
- Household makeup
- Where you live (What neighbourhood in Vancouver? What Lower Mainland municipality?)
- What you pay for rent
- How you earn an income
A limited number of storyteller spots are available.
Another way to participate is by submitting your story to our Generation Rent project. We're looking for first-person accounts of what it's like to live in a rented home in Vancouver, such as, but not limited to, stories that touch on the following experiences:
- The first time I lived on my own
- My black-ops midnight move
- The best landlord in all the land
- The worst landlord I ever endured
- How I got lucky in rental-housing roulette
- The lowest ceiling I've lived under/my year of crouching in the shower
- Adventures in couch-surfing
- Why I moved to the 'burbs
- Heartbreak hotel: tales of eviction
- How I didn't let the bed bugs bite
- Roommate heaven
- Roommate hell
- Six degrees of separation: rental-housing coincidences
- My dream home
- "This is not my beautiful house!" Tales of displacement
- How renting ruined my relationship
- How renting found me the love of my life
Stories must be told in the first person, 500-800 words in length. The Tyee can pay writers chosen for publication, and the deadline for submissions is Oct. 31, 2013. The Tyee reserves the right to edit for brevity and accuracy, but we won't change anything without your approval first.
Interested? Send your stories to Tyee Solutions Society housing reporter Jackie Wong using the subject line "Homestyle submission -- Generation Rent". Find her email here.
We look forward to hearing and sharing your stories.
Read more: Housing
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