N.S. woman spends most of her income on rent. She’s been denied government help

A female surviving successful nan Halifax area is expressing her vexation surrounding Nova Scotia’s rental supplement programme arsenic she was denied assistance contempt spending much than half her monthly income connected housing.

Sylvia Cole, who rents an flat successful nan Dartmouth area, said she spent 7 months scouring nan city’s rental marketplace earlier uncovering an affordable action that worked for her. Amid nan process, she said she contacted respective affordable housing assistance groups that denied her applications owed to already extended wait-lists.

“I took this flat because I felt assured that because of my income and rent, that I’d suffice for nan rental subsidy which I applied for,” she said during an question and reply pinch Global News connected Tuesday.

After a lengthy waiting period, Cole said she received a consequence from nan provincial government. But its appraisal wasn’t what she had anticipated.

“Two months later, I sewage a missive telling maine that I didn’t qualify.”

Nova Scotia’s rental supplement programme is disposable to residents whose rental costs are much than 50 per cent of their pre-tax family income successful comparison pinch nan “average marketplace rent successful their area,” which is not based connected nan costs of an individual’s unit, according to nan province’s website.

Cole, whose income is reliant connected her pension, was told she was denied financial support because nan mean rent prices successful her neighbourhood are only 46 per cent of her monthly income — 4 percent points beneath nan threshold.

“My consequence was, ‘How did you moreover cipher that? I’m paying $1,360 a period for rent retired of a $2,100-a-month income,'” she said, adding that she was told nan state doesn’t return into information nan “actual rent” of a portion erstwhile considering an application.

“She said they do demographic areas, mean retired nan rent successful those areas, and they averaged nan rent for this area astatine $975 per period for a one-bedroom apartment.”

Despite spending 64 per cent of her monthly income connected rent, nan province’s strategy categorizes Cole arsenic only spending astir 46 per cent.

“You’re expected to beryllium helping low-income group and seniors, which is what I am, and really you’re making it intolerable to get that help,” she said. “So, you’re stuck betwixt a stone and a difficult place.

“It’s intolerable to make a dollar agelong erstwhile you’re paying truthful overmuch for rent.”

Nova Scotia NDP leader responds

Claudia Chender, leader of Nova Scotia’s NDP, said nan provincial government’s existent rental supplement programme isn’t having its intended impact.

“It’s really not based connected really overmuch nan flat costs. It’s based connected their guidelines of really overmuch nan flat should cost,” she said, adding that yearly rent increases are worsening nan situation.

“In our environment, erstwhile we’ve had 12.9 per cent year-over-year increases, it’s conscionable not accurate.”

Chender said she’s chatted pinch galore residents, for illustration Cole, who are forgoing groceries because they’re spending much than 60 per cent of their income connected rent, yet still stay ineligible for support owed to rents rising faster than nan province’s expertise to measure mean prices successful a peculiar area.

“This is why we’re seeing a proliferation of tents. This is why we’re seeing truthful galore Nova Scotians who can’t spend to support a tile complete their heads,” she said.

The provincial NDP leader said nan provincial authorities needs to set nan rental supplement’s eligibility criteria to easiness nan load connected residents struggling pinch rising surviving costs.

“That helps nan folks who are astir susceptible enactment successful their homes,” she said.

‘Making it impossible’

Cole said she’s chatted pinch her section MLA and wrote a missive to Nova Scotia’s curate of municipal affairs since discovering that she’s ineligible for a rental subsidy. She’s yet to perceive backmost from nan province.

“I’m asking that they return into information nan reality,” she said. “Realize that (people) are paying mostly of their incomes connected rent and do thing astir it.”

“The rent is nan mostly of my income. In bid to person a comfortable living, I request nan subsidy.”

The subsidy utilized to beryllium disposable to those who walk 30 per cent aliases much of their pre-tax income connected rent — which nan Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation defines as the period for “affordable housing” — but it was changed to 50 per cent successful April 2023.

In December 2023, Nova Scotia Housing Minister John Lohr said the request for nan rent supplement had spiked and nan state couldn’t support up. In an question and reply pinch Global News connected Tuesday, he said nan programme was adjusted to “try to reside nan astir captious needs.”

Trending Now

“If their income is (taking up) 50 per cent aliases much for nan mean marketplace rent for their area, past they would qualify. Even if they’re paying much than nan mean marketplace rent successful their area, they whitethorn not qualify, but we would promote group to inquire for a reappraisal if they person an rumor pinch our process,” he said.

“I cognize that it’s a challenging clip for individuals, truthful we person really 1 of nan astir accessible programs for rent subsidies successful nan full country.”

Although Lohr said he’s not acquainted pinch Cole’s application, he said location is simply a anticipation of a “decision review” successful her case.

“We admit nan tremendous accent that nan lodging situation has placed connected people,” he said.

“We cognize there’s much that needs to beryllium done. We’re very alert individuals (like Cole) person large needs. We’re trying to do more.”

Lohr said he and his colleagues will “continue to reappraisal these programs each nan clip and look astatine their creation and really they’re made up.”

Upon submitting her rental subsidy exertion to nan province, Cole said she was assured that she’d suffice arsenic her surviving expenses were acold greater than 50 per cent of her income.

“When I sewage nan reply to really they were doing it, I conscionable said ‘You’re making it intolerable for anyone to get it,'” she said.

“Plain and simple, I was shocked. I publication nan missive complete doubly conscionable to make sure…. I couldn’t judge that was nan answer.”

Cole said she’s “managing” for now but is worried her expenses will summation further owed to heating costs passim nan wintertime months.

“It’s electrical power truthful I don’t cognize what it’s going to beryllium for illustration successful nan winter. This is erstwhile it’s going to go really tight,” she explained, adding that she remains diligent erstwhile it comes to her budgeting process.

“If I person to spell for groceries, I beryllium down and look astatine each nan flyers and prime retired nan places wherever I tin find amended buys. I don’t walk connected thing other because I don’t person nan money to.”

She said she hopes to debar a business wherever she’s down connected measure payments arsenic a consequence of making financial sacrifices to support up pinch her rent.

“The authorities needs to do overmuch much to thief low-income people. Seniors look to beryllium forgotten because they are nan ones pinch nan income that doesn’t change,” she said.

If Cole isn’t capable to find a solution surrounding her entree to nan rental assistance program, she said she’ll “try to toughen it retired arsenic champion I tin and dream for nan best.”

“Basically, that’s each I tin do. I don’t person a batch of options otherwise,” she said.

— pinch files from Emma Convey