Housing: Is $1,780 affordable rent for Kelowna’s middle class?

New tenants are moving into a recently-opened 80-unit apartment complex in downtown Kelowna.

The province says the building will help provide affordable rentals for those in the middle class.

However, opinions are divided on whether the rents are truly affordable.

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Rents in the building in the 700 block of Clement Avenue are $1,300 for a one bedroom and $1,780 for a two bedroom, the province said.

Ahead of the election call, B.C.’s NDP government touted the project as an example of how it was working with the private sector to create affordable rental housing for households making around $52,000 to $71,000 a year.

A graduate student who studied women’s experiences with Kelowna’s rental market welcomes the new units, but points out the higher priced two bedroom units in the complex don’t meet a common test for affordability for many in the income range the government said it was hoping to help.

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That standard says for housing to be affordable, it shouldn’t cost more than 30 per cent of your income.

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“People who are making in-between that $50,000 to $70,000 who are renting that $1,300 a month rental space, I think that they are going to have a great option for rental housing in Kelowna, but I do think for some it is still putting them in that threshold for core housing need,” PhD candidate Kayla Vrabic said.

Vrabic is happy to see the additional rental stock added to the city’s tight housing market.

“Any purpose built rental housing is good for the City of Kelowna. Any chance we have to increase our vacancy rate is going to be great,” she said.

Several new tenants in the buildings said they were happy with the price of their new rentals.

“For us coming from two separate places this saves us a lot of money,” said Josh Noble.

“I was in a basement suite (before). I was paying more than I (am) here so it is a big big difference,” said tenant Morgan Parker.

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On the streets of Kelowna, opinions on whether $1,780 is an affordable middle-class rent were mixed, with some telling Global News it was too expensive while others felt it was fair and compared favourably to the prices people are playing elsewhere.

BC Housing said it could not comment on concerns about the cost of rent in the building due to the ongoing election.

NDP candidate Toni Boot responded to the price concerns.

“I know that that seems to be pretty much what you are getting in terms of affordable housing these days. Housing prices are up everywhere as everyone knows. As far as it being affordable it likely is affordable for some people but out of reach still for other people,” Boot said.

Boot said if re-elected an NDP government would continue to build affordable housing.

The BC Liberals said they plan to address rental affordability for the middle class and will release details later in the campaign.