Mission resident Reta Jacobson was living in a basement suite for the past 10 years but was forced to move after the owner said they needed the space back for family members.
“Well, I started looking for a place, and that’s impossible,” Jacobson told Global News. “I mean, I’m just on a basic pension, so I can’t even afford $1,200 a month.”
Jacobson also put her name down for several apartments in the area but found that anything for low-income seniors had a minimum waiting list of a year.
Luckily, she was able to find housing with a roommate who is also behind People Powered, Community Strong, a grassroots group of volunteers who help feed and clothe those in need.
“Seniors are being left out,” said Christy Winters of the group.
“They’re being forgotten. They’ve paid their dues. They should be favoured,” she said. “I think they shouldn’t have to stress about, ‘Oh, I have to move. Where am I going to move to?’ The waitlists are so long.”
Winters said she is now looking for a four-to-five-bedroom home in Mission for independent seniors.
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She said she knows more seniors who are in desperate situations and who are trying to find a place to live.
“Similar to the Golden Girls,” Winters said.
“Just a bunch of old ladies living under one roof having fun, you know, comfortable, not worried about being mistreated or just not worried about where they’re going to go next.”
Jacobson said many of her friends are in similar situations to hers. They are single, on a fixed income and looking for a place to live.
“We are forgotten, there’s no doubt about it,” she said.
“People seem to assume if you’re retired, you’re getting a big pension. No, you’ve got to work.”
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