My heart goes out to you in solidarity because I too am in a similar situation - disabled with a few companion animals. The stress of unsustainable and unsafe housing only exacerbates my disability.

We are in the midst of a housing crisis and I'm not very optimistic for any growth anytime soon. I am an active housing advocate and do my best to remain educated, which tends to help with feelings of despair. If I had more energy I'd start a co-housing complex with a few like minded people.

ive got some black molds in my place and have lived here for 6 years. still havent kicked the bucket yet. think of it as extra immunities! people these days are such wussies

Wish I could double thumbs up on this posting!! This situation is out of control. And you are not alone. It makes me very angry. Heart goes out to you, my children and I are in the same boat.

in the field of "fixed incomes" I feel the need to chime in. First of all, I don't know your situation but you're aware that having pets according to the system is considered a luxury. You mentioned you were disabled so you're not getting regular IA rates you're getting much more and maybe supplementary amounts for your "needs". However this housing issue isn't simply immigrants that are buying an led holding properties that aren't being rented out. In Vancouver those vancant homes are from white people that probably look like you.. Corporations etc .. Most immigrants that work their hard to be able to own home(s) do rent them out. They have a sense of community for their own and the community they are now a part of, immigrants are usually the first to give back. They understand history do you? Because your family came from somewhere initially as well of course unless your First Nations. Maybe worry about your own responsibilities.

Your whole comment is laughable. I had a whole bunch of points in response but something about pearls before swines came to mind and I knew I'd be wasting my energy.

OP - a moldy environment is indeed unhealthy, particularly for seniors, person's with compromised immune systems, and children.

As a renter you do have rights and your landlord does have a legal obligation to provide and maintain the unit to certain standards. Please see the following webpage addressing mold and mildew:

http://www.tenantsbc.ca/mold%20and%20mildew.htm

Pursuing a bureaucratic avenue of resolution can be exhausting and perhaps even impossible depending on your level of disability, therefore I encourage you to contact Disability Alliance BC because they have advocates who can help you navigate this process.

http://www.disabilityalliancebc.org/programs/advocacy.htm

All the best. I hope you find a healthful resolution!

You stating that the OP is "getting much more and maybe supplementary amounts for your "needs" -your quotes, not mine, is insulting as hell. Christy Effing Clark decided that people on disability who make $906.00 a month, do not need to earn more than they did in 2007. Nine years ago. Because of that, disability was not increased in the province's last budget. What she did do, was allow welfare mothers to have their tuition paid by the government in case they decide to go back to school. She knew damn well that most would take a pass on that. You sound like a very bitter person who is in the wrong line of work. Rent is not "supposed" to use up more than one third of one's income, yet somehow, it fucking DOES. Many, probably most psychiatrists suggest that their patients get a pet, even something like a hamster, to have a living creature to care for and love. It is not considered a friggin' "luxury" to them, it is considered an important part of their patients' treatment and healing.

I completely agree that the rates for both disability and regular IA clients are way to low to live on. I advocate for my clients like no other worker you will meet. That was not my point. Bringing up the pet was just something I mentioned because the op did and it's in the legislation unfortunately not that I agree with it.

My issue with your post was your basis for who your blaming the vacant homes on and the clear racism behind it is pure ignorance. Again they are just as much Canadian as you are.

OMG. The post didn't specify or attribute a race to the foreigners and foreigners by definition are simply people from not here. It is not the race of an absent property owner that bothers me but rather the fact that they are using housing stock as a personal investment vehicle, barely using the property or participating in the life of the city (by virtue of not being here) and driving unaffordability for people who actually do live and work here. I don't give a shit if foreign owners are are from the U.S. or the UK or India or Australia or Japan or Mexico or China or Africa or Italy. Race was not the issue in this post and foreigner is not synonymous with any race in particular. You need to check yourself and your insane prejudices and unfounded assumptions before you hurt yourself or someone else tossing that shit about.